


The Alliance

by Silverlineage



Category: Dungeon Keeper (Video Games)
Genre: Bloodshed, Death, Demons, Dungeon Keeper - Freeform, Evil, F/M, Murder, Rape Fantasy, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-24 18:03:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 47
Words: 136,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16645142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverlineage/pseuds/Silverlineage
Summary: A girl is born to form an alliance between shadows and demons. Kept safe and untouched, only the Horned Reaper is allowed to lay claim to her. With her help, castles are taken. Places are conquered. But...everything has a few twists and turns, right? - Based on Dungeon Keeper 2 contentCurrent chapter is 47 and will continue in time!





	1. Chapter 1

It was a clear day when the woman decided to go down to the river to gather herbs. The village needed it, and she thought the fresh air would do her some good. She rounded the bend and found some of the children playing in the soft grass. She wanted a child of her own, but she knew that none of the men preferred her. She was either too old for them, or too young. She was too thin in places or too fat. Her hair was thin and brown. Her eyes were a pale blue and never really went with her face right. It was a very long time ago when she made the choice to live alone. It was even a mystery as to how she got to the village in the first place. She never could seem to remember her past, and she always got by with the most basic of common knowledge that every woman knew.

The children saw her and whispered amongst themselves. Already there were rumors about the lonely lady being more than what she was. And the rumors were spreading. Apparently, none of them were good. She had only lived in the village for ten years, and even that seemed much too long to many. They fled from her, and she shook her head sadly.  _What could I do to get a child?_

"I would do anything to have a baby of my own! If only it were a girl who possessed fine, flawless white skin with chocolate brown hair, and eyes as green as the sea. I would name her Lilith, and she would be my most precious secret."

"I can help you make your wish come true."

She jumped at the masculine, yet velvety noise that came from the bushes beside her. She looked around and saw nothing.

"Who are you?!" she said cautiously.

"I am someone who can give you the little girl you crave. However, there is always a price for such a thing."

"Let me see you!" she said. A little cloaked figure appeared in front of her. He was no more than two feet tall, yet he looked at her with no teasing gestures. His face was too dark to see, but the black eyes glimmered with an unearthly presence and seemed to swallow her soul. She shivered and gasped at the unknown struggle.

"Can you see me?" the velvety tone asked in a seductive hiss.

"You are evil!" she breathed.

"Yes," the creature laughed. "I am on the evil side. But, I have been watching you for quite some time. My name is Shade. I am willing to help you. I was waiting for you to say something. Now that you have, I am able to appear before you. I can help you make the child you crave to bear and have."

"You said for a price. What price?" she asked cautiously.

"I must take your soul when the girl turns eighteen. You and I will remain together throughout eternity, and our daughter will take her rightful place in the hands of darkness when the time is right."

"I...I don't know," the woman shivered.

"I will give you until tonight to decide. Enjoy the rest of your day," Shade said sarcastically, as he vanished. The woman sat on the ground and thought hard. She really wanted a baby. There was no doubt in her mind about it.  _But, to ask a servant of evil to help me get one?!_ She knew she had to tell the town Wizard, but, at the same time, she didn't want to.  _No one cared about me. If I told anyone, I know the townspeople would think I'm crazy and only outcast me even more. They were hard enough to sell herbs to as it is! I'll have to keep this strange encounter to myself._

"Maybe it won't be so bad," she mused. "If all I can attract is evil, then maybe I should say yes. I do want a baby..."

She kept quiet the rest of the day and did her chores around the little hut. At sunset, she checked her window and watched the sun settle down among the trees. When the sky was black and the stars began to appear, she felt a sudden chill down her spine.

"Have you made your choice?"

She turned at the voice.  _The figure was back._

"Yes. I have. I want a child."

"Even at the cost of your soul?"

"Yes."

"Very well, then. Undress and lay back in the bed. It may be quick, for I have little time. I have other places to be."

She looked at him strangely, but she undressed. She felt the scorching gaze of lust in his eyes, as she pulled the covers over her. In a split second, the figure's cloak was on the ground, and she was looking at a solid black demon with glittering onyx eyes. His face was incredibly slender and handsome in the faded light of her fireplace. He grew six feet tall and stretched his bat-like wings out to reveal his broad, yet solid, muscular chest. He had long, black hair that spiked out, as it reached the floor like a shaggy lion's mane. He smiled a fanged smile, and he ran a clawed thumb under his chin with amusement.

 _It was time._  He glanced at the moon with a smirk, as he nodded to himself. He merged with the shadows, and the sheet was flung off of her. She felt her body getting brutally ravaged by him, and she started to try to push him off. She screamed that she changed her mind and didn't want the baby. All the demon did was grin and torture her with heavy slaps to her body. A moment later he was gone. All that was left was his cloak on the floor. Even that slowly melted away to become an eerie, vanishing fog.

"What have I done?!" she shrieked and curled up into a little ball. Bruises were already forming into large welts on her body. She cried the rest of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Nine months later, she lay in bed with birthing pains. It was nightfall, and candles were the only form of lighting in the room. She let no one come from the village to assist her.  _As if anyone would, anyways._  The most they thought was that she was raped by someone desperate enough to be with her. She paid it no mind at all.  _Other women went through childbirth by themselves. I can do this._

The pains were getting closer together, and she was trying to keep from screaming.  She knew her ordeal was almost over, though.  Sunlight hurt her eyes far too much to bear, and she was sick practically the entire time.  She tried to refocus her thoughts. The only problem was that the pain was far too excruciating for a normal birth. She wouldn't know it, though. How could she? As she lay there with each contraction hitting her, she felt a chill in the air. The candles flickered violently from a sudden breeze and blew out without any warning. This left her in complete darkness. Her fears would quickly confirm her worst nightmare.

"Very interesting," the demon mused, as he appeared from the shadows. His black eyes glittered with pure amusement.

"Go!" she pleaded weakly. The order was, of course, ignored. Shade didn't bother to visit her since her rape, and she had become so terrified of him coming back that she trembled to the marrow of her bones. He had been watching her from afar, though, to ensure that her pregnancy was successful. If it didn't take the first time, he was eager to rape her again. That was a given.

"I can't do that. This is my daughter. I must assist her birth in any way that I can," he said with a cold smile. "It's a wonder that you don't have a villager assisting you. Then again, you must have known that the child might have been taken from you."

"Please! Don't stay!" she begged. He was laughing at her weakened state. He could do anything to her, and they both knew it.

"But, why? You know that you are too helpless to resist me at this time. It will be so much fun to see what you would try to pull to keep me away!" he grinned. She watched the demon stretch his wings and reveal his broad chest. He walked towards her slowly like a cat stalking a mouse. He covered her with his wings like a smothering blanket of pitch-black evil. She soon saw nothing but darkness.

"Don't do this," she whispered. She began to cry out suddenly.  _The beast was pleasuring me during my labors!_

"Now, this  _is_ rather fun!" he chuckled. "Let's see...will you cry out your pleasure before the baby comes? Or will it be pain first? Shall we see?"

"Leave me alone!" she screamed, as a pleasuring feeling overwhelmed her before being shattered with a sharp pain. He kept tormenting her until she let out a final cry of deep pain. She fainted right after it.

"I was hoping you'd stay awake," he sighed. "Mortal women are so weak!"

He grumbled and appeared by the bed holding his daughter. Even in the pitch blackness of the room, he was able to study her easily.  _Her hair was not chocolate brown. Her eyes were not green. Her skin was definitely pale, but her hair and eyes were a solid black._ He smiled. She did not scream when she looked at her father. She didn't even cry. She knew what she was. The demon nodded at this. He wiped her clean of blood and revealed one of his claws.

"She may call you whatever she likes. However, you are known as Saithe to those of evil kin," he whispered. The baby smiled before shrieking in pain from the claw sinking into her chest and into her heart. "I have marked you so I can always find you. You can call on me only if the need is urgent enough. I will beat you, if the need is wasted on something foolish! I am a king of shadows. You are my princess. Soon this village will be destroyed with or without your help. It will happen on your eighteenth birthday. Remember my words."

He removed his claw and kissed the wound closed. Saithe stopped crying almost immediately and looked at him. She reached a careful hand out to him, and he grasped it gently. The father side of him was clearly there to show that he was trustworthy. That he would protect her. She smiled and laughed. The implantation of his face and form was now firmly engraved in her mind. She would smile and laugh for no other right now.

"Only you can see me from now on. Your mother will suffer if she hurts you for any reason. If I do appear to you for some odd reason, let me teach what needs to be taught and don't ask any questions."

With that, he lay his daughter down next to her mother. He knew she would become a rather beautifully stunning girl. He would kill anyone and anything that touched her. She was made for only one creature, and he grinned.  _I'll get my alliance soon enough._  The moment he vanished, her mother woke. She saw her daughter and clasped her to one of her breasts. She looked around frantically and saw no sign of the girl's father.

"Lilith! You are mine. You are finally my secret!" she whispered. Saithe said nothing. Her mother kept whispering things to her. She remained quiet. When her mother saw the light scar on her daughter's chest, she screamed. "That bastard! What did he do to you? If I ever see him again, I'll kill him!"

Saithe smiled and gurgled with a form of happy laughter. Her father was being spoken of. That was when her mother realized that Saithe would never smile for her.  _She would only smile for her father. He had stolen my baby's love._  She broke down into tears, and Saithe closed her eyes to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Saithe grew quickly over the next several years. Her scar had faded to nothing with her father's help. He didn't want her marred. Her father taught her how to do all the naughty things a girl shouldn't do at the age of fourteen. She stole from the village and lied smoothly about it. She repulsed the boys when they tried to get close. She teased the girls when they tried to become friends with her. She never spoke to her mother unless it was necessary, and she did her chores to keep her father happy. She never had to summon him once. Her mother realized she was eating less and less. She was becoming concerned, but Saithe had her own means of finding food.

She went down to the river to collect some fish for supper. She pulled back her ground-length hair and narrowed her eyes with determination when she struggled with the net. When she had it set down just right, she bent down to gather some cooking herbs. She even knew where the poisonous ones were, too. She liked to poison her mother on occasion, if she wanted time to herself. So far, it was just sleeping broths that she slipped into her mother's teas. She looked up when she heard a twig snap.

"What do you want?!" she snapped rudely. A straggly boy with short, beach-blond hair stood by a tree. He looked at her with his blue eyes and smiled dashingly. The moment he set eyes on her, he had tried to get her to like him. She did everything she could to keep him away, but he was too stubborn to listen. He kept thinking that he could change her ways. He was always proven wrong, but he was too smitten with her beauty to care. He simply wanted her to like him.

"Just making sure you're all right," he said in a nearly deepened voice.

"I'm perfectly fine, Clyde," she said, as she went back to picking herbs.

"How do I know that unless I see you?" he asked.

"There are other girls. Go bug them."

"No. I like bugging you."

"Go away!" she snarled. "I want nothing to do with you!"

"You think you can stay away from me?!" he asked hotly. "I'm going to the castle to become a Squire! I'll be a Knight in a few years! When that's done, I'm coming back to make you my wife! You have my promise! You won't be rid of me then!"

"Like Hell you will!" she seethed. "I don't need you! I don't need this village! I want to live alone!"

"Just like your mother?" he asked. "What a life you have ahead of you!"

"Good! It's the way I like it!" she said. "Go off and be a Squire and shovel horse manure for several years! Wear armor that makes your body weakened to such a state that you can't think you're safe unless you have several inches of steel on your skin! Ride your prized horse to a horrid foundering and seek another steed that will end up doing the same thing! I DON'T CARE!"

"How dare you!" he hissed. "I'm going to beat you to a bloody pulp!"

"Go away!" she screamed, as he tackled her. She screamed again when he slapped her cheek. He wrestled her to the ground and struck her again. She sensed her father nearby, and she knew he was waiting for her to call him.

"I'll make you learn!" he growled, as he tried to pull up her dress.

"Father!" she cried. Clyde looked up at the sudden shadow that appeared before him. The demon seethed with anger.

"Leave my daughter alone!" he howled, as he struck the boy with an outstretched hand. The backlash was so hard that Clyde was thrown twenty feet away. The demon looked at Saithe's face and scowled at the bruises that began to form.

"You're the daughter of a demon?!" Clyde said with a gaping mouth.

"You touched my daughter," her father growled. "You struck her down. Now it's my turn to strike you down!"

"No! Please!" Clyde cried, as he got up and ran.

"No matter where you run, I will find you and give you punishment!" Shade vowed. Saithe stood up to straighten her dress and watched Clyde run to the village. Her father turned to her with a snarl.  _I will have to do something about that boy._

"Thank you, Father," she said softly.

"I saw what happened. You did well in summoning me. I sensed something was wrong the moment the boy appeared. I had better train you in the art of defending yourself. Your...mother...can wait."

"Yes, Father," she said. He touched her cheek lightly, and the bruising vanished.

"You are meant to be touched by only one creature, and he will be known when your destiny is before you. As for what he does to you, I can't stop it. Enough of this talk for now. Watch my moves closely."

For several hours she trained with him. He taught her basic defensive postures and drilled her in different styles of kicks. As the sun started to set, he nodded to her and said, "You learn fast. That's good. I'll be able to train you in the black arts of magic, if you continue to learn this swiftly."

"That will be helpful," she said thoughtfully. "Do you think I can charm my enemies into fighting each other?"

"Hmm...possibly. I'll look into it. Now you must get back to your daily chores. If any of the other boys touch you, call me."

"Of course, Father," she bowed. He nodded and vanished. She gathered her herbs and pulled out several fish.  _No doubt Father lured them into the net._  She brought them inside the hut.

"Wonderful! This is a lot of fish tonight," her mother said.

"Yes. Father helped me."

"I see," she said with a shiver.

"Clyde tried to hurt me."

"What?!" she said.

"Father hurt him back. I don't think Clyde will be among the living much longer," Saithe smirked. Her mother paled with fright. She looked around the hut fearfully and then went over to the fish to start preparing it. After supper, which she ate very little of, Saithe watched her mother go to sleep. Saithe rarely ever slept these days, and she snuck out into the wilderness of the riverbed. She breathed in the night air and stood tall in the misty valley. Now it was her turn to be free.

With a wild cry of joy, she ran among the soft grasses the earth yielded. She stalked a rabbit and caught it deftly. She was hungry and knew there was only one thing that could truly cure her hunger. She cut open the struggling rabbit's gut with her fingers and pulled out the beating heart. She popped it into her mouth and chewed it slowly. She felt delicious shivers when the warm blood poured down her throat, and she threw the carcass back into the brush. She had discovered her strange addiction by pure accident.

She had gone into the butchery and found a chicken being dressed for slaughter. She had carefully felt along the struggling bird's breasts and found the heart beating rapidly. When no one was looking she thought it would be interesting to see the heart beating outside of the body. She dug in her fingers and cruelly pulled the heart out. As she looked at it, she wanted to taste it. When the warm heart touched her lips, her senses were excited beyond measure. Since then, she had always hunted alone at night.

She stretched and removed her clothing. She hated the way the cotton confined her skin from the night air. She found another rabbit and claimed its heart. She smeared the warm blood all over her skin and stared up at the sky. She smiled and sat on the ground. The stars were suddenly vanquished by the long hair and solid black chest of her father. He appeared to be completely bewildered at what she was doing. This was the first time he checked on her at night.

"What the Hell are you doing?!"

She stared up at her father.

"This is what I've always done late at night."

"Nude? With fresh animal blood on you?!" he snarled.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Do you have any idea what kind of creature you are turning into?!"

"No."

He smiled and sat down next to her.

"Good."

"Glad you approve," she smiled and sighed. He watched her closely and pulled out a rabbit he had caught. She took it and pulled out the living heart. He looked at her perfect, heart-shaped face with her petite nose in the middle and let his eyes rove down to her budding breasts.  _She was filling out very nicely. Maybe a little too nicely..._

"You really have a taste for the living," he muttered.

"I know. It's your blood that is making me crave it."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

He looked at her strangely and turned to the sky. He cleared his throat as though trying to remain in control of something.

"I have seen your future mate."

"Have you?"

"Yes. He is quite a tough one to crack. He kills even his own ally if extremely angered. You shall have to watch yourself around him."

"I see."

"I'm going now. Head home. As always, watch yourself."

"I will."

She watched her father spread his wings and jump off to fly. He hovered above her to survey the valley before speeding away. She smiled. They both had night vision. She yawned and found a stream to clean herself up in. She donned her clothes and ran back to the hut. She crawled under her thin blankets and shivered. Then she thought about what her father said as to what her mate would be like.  _My mate appeared to have some kind of a short fuse. I'll have fun sparking it._


	4. Chapter 4

It was dawn on her eighteenth birthday. She had managed to survive through thick and thin to this moment. Her mother was already dead. Her father had taken her soul while she slept. She watched him stalk up to the bed and strangle her in the cruelest manner possible. He turned to Saithe right afterwards and ordered her to burn her mother's body. Once the chore was done, the hut belonged to her solely. As if it would be a place she would want to live in, anyways.

"An army of darkness is approaching. You are to remain here no matter what. I don't know when they will arrive, but the time could be any second. If someone calls for you to follow them, ask if they have come to till the soil or burn the wheat. If they reply to burn the wheat, follow that creature. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father," she said. He nodded and vanished. She removed her dress and looked down at herself. Her body had filled out to perfection, and she resembled a porcelain statuette. Her face was a delicate heart-shaped oval, and her lips were alluringly pink. Her eyes made anyone who looked at them feel like they were being sucked away from the world they knew. She gave one person nightmares about it. She studied her breasts and smiled.  _They were not too small, but not too large, either._  She always wondered why no other bodily hairs grew on her except for her head. She figured it was from her Father's side that did it.  _All he had was the long hair on his head, as well._

She put her dress back on and bunched her black hair up into a bun. It was never cut and could easily cover her body if she let it down. It seemed to stop growing after a certain point, too. There was a time when her mother tried to cut it, but the scissors passed right through the fine lock of hair as though it was nothing but a shadow. Her mother never touched her hair again. She always wore a bun to keep her hair from sweeping the ground behind her. She went out to the back of the hut and grabbed a chicken. She killed it with a quick snap of her wrist in a rather expert manner and pulled out the heart to eat. Her mother had actually caught her doing it and vomited on the spot. Saithe had never felt so thrilled.

"I wonder when they will come for me," she said aloud with a soft smile. "Anything is better than this place."

A loud horse bray was heard from her window. She went back into her hut and peered outside. She hissed. Clyde had survived her father's ordeal and had apparently succeeded in becoming a Knight. And this was despite the scars he bore on his chest from her father's claws. He was scratched up rather badly, but the village healer was very good with his work. He was sent to the castle right after to finish his healing and start his training to keep the muscles from growing stiff. As he worked with sword and shield, his body retrained itself and surpassed all the doubts the others had.

He jumped off his white charger and pushed up his visor to survey the hut. He looked every bit as dashing as he did when he was younger, but his ego had grown by leaps and bounds. Just by surviving a demon's wrath had earned him a touch of respect. He let that feed and fuel him while he trained.

"Lilith! I've come for you! Just like I promised!" he said proudly, as he stepped in. He paused when he looked at her. She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life. For some reason, he had instinctively avoided her eyes. Something in the back of his mind told him it was a bad omen to stare eye to eye with her.

"I did not invite you inside!" she said hotly. "My name was never Lilith, either!"

"You mean to tell me that you were never truly called Lilith?!" he asked with shock. She rolled her eyes at his denseness and smiled coldly.

"You never knew me. You never will," she growled. "Now get out of my home."

"Where is your mother?" he asked cautiously.

"She's indisposed at the moment. Get out!"

He stared at her with disbelief.  _Even after all this time, she still wanted nothing to do with me._ He pulled his visor down and reached for her. "You will be mine! I trained hard to come back to you, and I will  _not_  be denied!"

"Father!" she shrieked. The demon appeared in front of the Knight and shoved the man out the door with inhuman force.  _My daughter was not meant for a human. She was never meant to be with a human._

"Demon! I'm ready for you!" Clyde said, as he swung his massive broadsword. A loud trumpeting call echoed from the village. Clyde gasped at the summons.  _The village was under attack._

"You had better leave, Knight," Saithe hissed.

"I'll be back to take you from the darkness," Clyde vowed.

"She was created in darkness, born in darkness, and she shall live in darkness," her father grinned and watched the Knight flee to help his village.

"I'm surprised you didn't kill him when you had the chance," she pouted. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"I didn't think he would be worth my trouble, but I was wrong. I'll let your future husband handle him personally, if the time ever comes. I'm leaving again. Remember to wait for the call."

She nodded and watched her father leave. She sat on her bed and waited patiently. Several hours later she heard screams echoing in the valley. She smiled. It was like music to her.

"Saithe," a voice croaked. "Come with us."

"Have you come to till the soil or burn the wheat?"

"Burn it all!" the voice cackled. She smiled and looked out the window. A Troll with gray, warty skin, a crude rag cloth over his hips, and a huge mallet was looking at her. She walked out, and he watched her with a lewd expression.

"Which way?" she asked. The Troll smiled with gap teeth and started walking away from the hut. She followed him and was surprised at his speed. They ran deep into the forest and encountered a hole in the ground. The Troll jumped in. She hesitated. She looked back at the valley and heard Clyde's shouting.  _He was searching for me and getting closer._  She growled and jumped into the hole.

A brief blackness surrounded her, and she felt her feet touch solid ground. The stone path spread before her, as her night vision kicked in, and she realized the world she now lived in existed under the village. She took a few steps forward and looked around cautiously. Torches on the wall now lit her way to reveal intricate wall carvings.  _It all looked handmade. But, by who's hands?_  She was rather curious of it all. As she walked forward again, a huge, rhythmic beating was heard.

"That's odd. It's like...a heart?" she whispered. She walked further and saw a strange creature with a large backpack run past her. It looked at her with oversized eyes and yipped, as something smacked it backwards. She watched it dig a new room with fascination. Others appeared to make new floors and carve the intricate walls up. As she watched this, she also felt an intense presence watching her. It was almost as though it was studying her as she was watching the tiny creature. It was slightly unnerving to her. Now she whispered to herself, "What is this place?"

She walked around some more and saw more rooms. She found a Library and was awed at the Dark Wizards studying the dark arts. Her father had taught her some magic, but she kept her thoughts to herself. They didn't appear to like intruders coming in during their studies. The fireball at an intruding Imp solidified that thought. With a smile, she looked around a little more. She saw more creatures of different types, and several of them looked at her before moving on. She felt as though she belonged here, somehow. She encountered the Lair and saw the different monsters and creatures sleeping in their makeshift homes. She smiled and looked around again.

Suddenly, a huge commotion appeared at the front of the room. A huge red demon that was easily four feet taller than her with two giant straight horns jutting at a slant from opposite sides of his forehead appeared in a charged wave of fiery steps. He curled back his lip and revealed sharp, yellow teeth that glinted in the dim light. His jawbone had a set of small horns that jutted out of the sides of it, and he even had a slight cleft in his chin. That feature alone enhanced the details of his long face completely. With a heavy snarl, the others cringed and ran from him. She stared at the beast in awe before cringing away herself with a form of uncertainty.

He growled and smelled the air. He looked around with glowing yellow eyes with black cat's eye pupils that appeared to be nothing more than slits in his face and snorted.  _Something was different. Something drew me here._  He growled again and narrowed his eyes. He pulled up his scythe and set it up straight. Then he stared at her, and she felt his eyes bore into hers. For some reason, he felt himself tumbling down into the darkness of her eyes. A small sensation of intense relief hit him before he came back to reality. For a brief moment, all of his concerns had vanished in her gaze. It puzzled him. He realized that she was something more than what she seemed to be.  _She was the one that pulled me to this room._ He rumbled in his deep voice as though mustering up strength to speak.

"You..." he breathed. "Who...are...you...?"

"Saithe," she whispered. He grunted and took another step closer to her. She saw that he was completely hairless, and he had black steel pierced nipples on his rock hard chest. His chest, itself, was as massive as her fathers and just as heavily muscled. He wore two giant, black shoulder plates with his shoulder spikes coming out at each side, and a heavy, black chain necklace adorned his neck. The necklace also held an impressively sized polished bloodstone. He had black metal chaps that went from his feet to his hips and left his inner thighs open. His belt held a simple black leather loincloth that covered his front and rear.

He breathed deeply, despite his black steel nose ring, and the even rising and falling of his chest mesmerized her. She saw the spikes jutting out of the bottom of his jaw and elbows. He even had them appearing out of his calf muscles down to his hoof-like feet. A sharp snarl brought her eyes back to his. He showed a slight, smirking half-smile and walked off. He made plans to find her later when there were less around her.

"At least he's happy..." a monster mumbled, as it wandered past her.  _That was him being happy?! Did I even want to see him mad?_

"Who is that?" she asked. "The one that just appeared and left?"

"That's the Horned Reaper. The strongest of all of us. We call him Horny around here," a skinny green Goblin wearing a leather loincloth whispered. The Goblin was holding a club and gained his courage back quickly when Horny left the room.

"I see," she whispered back. Tracks of fire marked where the red demon left the room, and they sputtered and died. A feminine laugh roused her from her thoughts, and a red head in a black and metal jump suit walked into the room.

"Who are you?" the woman asked. Saithe looked at the strange woman with a raised brow. She was heavily busted, but it was confined in the suit. She had fairly pale skin, and one of her legs would have been completely exposed if it wasn't for a strap of metal that twirled around it. When she turned partially, Saithe saw that a single line went down the crack of her rear and exposed the soft skin completely. A single sprout of red hair came out from the top of her head from the open-faced mask she wore. The woman revealed a metal clawed hand and smiled.

"I am Saithe."

"So, you are the one," she mused.

"What?" Saithe asked. The woman gave a throaty laugh and walked off. Saithe watched her leave and stood up.  _Apparently, I was expected. Did my Father tell them about me?_  She shivered and looked around. She decided to explore a little more. She found herself wandering down a winding tunnel that was still in a bit of excavation. As she walked further on, a sharp snarl startled her from behind. She turned and saw the red demon standing tall behind her. She noticed that the scythe he held had a retractable blade. It was curved downwards at the moment, as it was not in use.

"Now that we are finally away from the cattle, tell me how you got here," he said in a surprisingly smooth dialect. Her eyes widened that his voice was not only deep, but had multiple tones like a faded echo.

She straightened herself and managed to tell him of her father. He listened the whole time and smiled slightly. He blinked his eyes and looked at her. He took his time to study her figure. He found her to be very slender under the brown cotton dress she wore, and he longed to rip it off her skin. Her face was something else entirely. He found it rather wonderful to gaze at. He didn't like the way her black hair was bound up, and he had the feeling of sinking in eternal darkness again when he looked into her eyes. Every time he looked away and back into those depths, the sinking feeling returned. He loved it.

"Now you know," she said.

"So, you are the one Shade was speaking of. How...refreshing."

"You know of him?"

"Surely. If any are feared of me, they fear him, as well. He controls the shadows. He can easily kill something just by crushing it with darkness. If you are his daughter, then he surely means to do something soon."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Simple. Something big is going to happen, and you are the key. It will be a wonder to see what it is. Now, as to why you are so...intriguing to me," he grinned and moved closer to her. She trembled in front of him. He reached out a red, clawed hand and snatched her up by her dainty waist. She shrieked when he threw her onto his shoulder. He was careful to keep from impaling her on his shoulder spikes. He didn't want to wound her. He began to turn to walk back towards his lair.

"Wait!"

"Huh?" he snarled with annoyance and turned. "Shade. What is it?!"

Her father stood tall before the flames of Horny. She saw his handsome face masked with concern. "You can't do this yet."

"What do you mean?" Horny asked dangerously. He was never denied anything when he wanted it. He was irritated that he was told he couldn't touch something that he clearly wanted to possess.

"It is not time. We are still under attack. There is someone here who thinks he's close to her. A goodly Knight by the name of Clyde."

Horny seethed and hunched up with anger. With a flick of his wrist, the blade extended on his scythe. Shade closed his eyes in a trance, and his eyes snapped open. The look proved what they all didn't want to know.

"Clyde is here? That idiot!" Saithe scowled. Horny was now completely livid.

"He is about to attack the Heart!" Shade hissed and vanished. Horny growled and roared. He ran with her bouncing on his shoulder. His scythe glinted in the passing torchlight as though it was a warning to any and all that he was ready to kill. When he reached the Heart Chamber, all of the other minions were dead around it.

"Lilith!" Clyde said, as he brandished his bloodied broadsword. "I've come to save you! It's all right! I'm here now!"

"Leave, Clyde!" she hissed over Horny's shoulder. "This demon will destroy you! If you have any common sense left, you'll leave now!"

"Hah! I've destroyed all these demons myself, and one more won't matter!"

"You are making a big mistake!" she warned. Horny set her down roughly and ground his teeth. He was getting madder and madder by each passing second.

"I'll rescue you from this beast!" Clyde said. She reached up and touched the demon's armored shoulder. He looked at her coldly, but then his gaze softened at the rushed whisper she gave him. He grinned and looked at the Knight with amusement. Her suggestion to make the Knight panic seemed to make sense.  _The Knight was in love with her. She wanted Clyde to die knowing that she didn't love him._  He knew of one thing that would easily make the Knight panic, though he never tried it before. He figured it was worth the effort. He picked her up with a smooth movement and kissed her deeply. Horny gave a light grunt when his lips pressed against hers, and he had to catch himself before he lost his balance. It was a new sensation to him. He liked it.

The Knight stared at her with disbelief.  _She was involved with the unclean!_  He watched Horny set her aside, and Clyde trembled when the glowing yellow eyes focused on him. He saw Saithe place a hand over her mouth with surprise. She had not expected Horny to kiss her. The moment the demon's lips touched hers, a strong shock had gone through her body. What she didn't know was that the same thing happened to Horny. In all of his years of existence, Horny never had that experience before. Then Clyde saw a tall shadow appear next to the demon. Shade was here to protect his daughter. The Shadow Demon crossed his arms and glared.

"No!" Clyde whispered with horror. The demons were more than ready to take him on. They battled the Knight with ease, and Saithe watched with amazement. Her father summoned the shadows to glue the Knight in his tracks, and Horny battled him with swipe after swipe of his scythe. After only minutes of fighting, the Knight's head was severed. Saithe gave a cry of joy and ran over to the corpse. Horny watched her with confusion. He moved to stop her, but her father stopped him.

"Watch," Shade said calmly. Saithe removed the chest plate and cut open the belly with her nails. She pulled out the heart and began to feast.

"She eats hearts?!" Horny asked with amusement.

"It's the only thing she will eat," Shade said. "She can have other food, but it's the hearts that fully sustain her. Now, she will see the Heart in the chamber. It's damaged, isn't it?"

"Horribly," Horny grunted. Saithe saw the large Heart beating weakly in the chamber. With an instinctive movement, she cut her wrist open and let her blood flow into the Heart. As she grew weaker, the Heart grew stronger. When she finally felt she could no longer stay awake, Horny pulled her into his arms. At the same time, he was a touch amazed.  _The Heart was healed._  Shade touched her wrist, and the wound vanished as though it never existed. Now he gazed down at the frail girl he held. "She can do this?!"

"Yes. It costs her quite a bit, but this is her destiny."

"If she gets killed while healing the Heart..."

"That is where you come in. You are to protect her."

"What?!" he snarled.

"Think about it! You are attracted to her! Right?"

"Humph. What of it?"

"She is to be with you. You are the only one allowed to touch her. I have kept her pure for you!"

"What is your point?!" he growled.

"You and I can form an alliance. My stealthy shadows and your fiery might working together at long last! Exactly like what we did with that human just now. Can't you picture it? She can learn to use the shadows, as well, when she is properly trained."

"I see. Let me think on it."

"Take all the time you need," Shade nodded and vanished. Horny looked down at Saithe and growled. He looked around and shook his head.  _The place was empty and reeked of death._ He didn't mind the death, but the place was a mess.  _All of the Imps were destroyed._ _Who was going to make this place back to normal?_  With a snort, he knew the Imps would be reformed in time.

He took her into the now empty Lair and looked for a suitable spot. A skeletal throne with red velvet cushioning appeared for him, and he sat down with her in his lap. He let one of his claws shred the garment she wore. He tossed it aside to look at her body. He would have tried to undo her hair, but the bun was too confusing to remove. As he gazed at her firm breasts and slender waist he felt his lust rising unlike anything he ever experienced in his life.

"I have never felt such a tremor in my bones just by looking at a mere girl before. I can't ever remember having this type of burning desire!" he grunted. He looked up and hissed. A new Imp was made and looking at her. He killed it with his scythe. He felt himself get lifted and placed into another room with her. It was set up in a locked chamber that had everything he needed for the time being. The Imps could not get in to disturb him. Now he let out a small grumble. "This is an interesting change..."

His throne reappeared in the spot of carpet, and he sat down with her once more. He let his hands wander over her slender form. When he began to move them between her legs, she shuddered and looked at him. His yellow eyes pierced her black ones, and he snorted. He felt himself dragged down into her depths again, and he had to keep himself from trembling.

"What are you going to do to me?" she asked.

"Something I may have done to a Mistress, but at a more painful level," he grinned. "The first time is always the worst one."

"What first time?" she asked.

"I guess Shade never taught you about this?" he grinned again. Now he was getting excited at the thought that she was virgin.  _All for me..._

"Father!" she cried out. He did not come to help her. Then she knew that this was the demon her father was talking about.  _I was on my own from here._  Horny smiled with a form of twisted amusement, and he knew was going to have some fun. She gasped when he pushed a clawed finger into her, and she tried to squirm. He held her down with a savage snarl and worked it deeper. She tried to get away again, and he still managed to hold her down. When she felt as though he securely trapped her, he removed his waistline armor and positioned her to sit on him. All she could do was whisper a fairly weak plea. "No..."

She was still weak from the blood loss, and she knew that Horny didn't care. He slammed her down into his lap, and she screamed from the sudden pain that tore through her. He had breached her uterus when she felt him reach his hilt, and the feel of it made him lose any control he thought he had.

"Now you fully belong to me!" he snarled and emptied himself into her. She screamed again when she felt a searing fire consume her insides. He let her escape him afterwards, and he replaced his armor. She curled up into a tight ball and hugged her knees to her chest. He watched her and decided she would be of no threat if he took a nap. He got comfortable and was soon snoring deeply.

"What did he do to me?" she whispered to herself in horror. She felt awfully sore, but she knew it would pass quickly. She got up a bit shakily and realized he made her bleed. She swore to herself and shook her head.  _I will manage._  She undid the bun and let her hair down. It covered her up nicely, and she began to search for a way out. The door was locked up, and she went to the wall. She let out a growl, and her eyes shimmered, as she hissed, "I am made from shadows. Let the shadows work for me!"

The shadowed cracks in the wall got larger, and the wall crumbled down. She smiled and ran down the hallway. When she felt she was lost, she heard the shadows whispering directions to her. She realized what her father told her when she was to be the princess of shadows.  _They obeyed my every thought._  When she was halfway out to the exit, her father appeared with his hands crossed on his chest.

"Where do you think you're going?!" he snapped.

"He hurt me, Father!" she hissed. "I am not going back!"

"He..." Shade whispered and hissed when he saw the blood on her legs. "I know he did. It won't be so bad next time."

"There will never be a next time. I'm leaving now!"

"You know how he will be when he finds you gone."

"I don't care," she said bluntly. He watched her head down the hallway. A part of him was longing to go after her and spank her bottom, yet a more sensible part of him told him to sit back and watch.  _Let Horny deal with her as he will._  He smiled cruelly and started laughing.

She reached the exit and jumped out of the hole. What she found was surprising.  _The lush valley was a stinking pit of acrid smoke._  She smiled. She just hoped she would be able to hunt something suitable.


	5. Chapter 5

Horny woke with a yawn and grunted. He remembered Saithe and grinned. He went to look for her, but he found an Imp standing in the spot she was in. Anger heated quickly inside him when he saw the gaping hole in the wall.  _She escaped me._  He would never let her forget it. When other females escaped him, he never cared. She was different. She belonged to him.

He got up with a sharp growl, and the Imp ran for safety from his wrath. He ran through the dungeon and smelled the dank air. He caught the scent of the drops of blood that fell from her, and he quickly gave chase.  _The drops were fairly fresh. I woke not long after she fled from me. That meant I would catch up with her._ Her scent led him towards the portal.  _She left the dungeon._  He roared his anger and jumped out to drag her back in. What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks.

She was dancing nude in some sort of erotic trance and smeared head to toe with the blood of a deer she had just killed. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her hips and breasts. She bent down to smear more blood on her skin, and he watched her hands move over the slippery red liquid with a practiced ease. He wanted her again, and a savage hiss emitted from his mouth. When she looked up and saw him, she hissed back.

"Come back to me, and you will be forgiven," he said quietly.

"No!" she spat.

"This is your last chance to come quietly."

"Leave me alone!" she growled and ran. He bellowed and ran after her. He was surprised at how fast she was on her feet. She was outdistancing him greatly. Finally he stopped, and she was out of sight.

"Damn you!" he shouted. "I will not rest until I find you!"

"Let me bring her back to you," Shade said behind him. Horny turned and glared at him. He stood up tall and focused his eyes on the path she took.

"No. She is mine. I will catch her. You go back and make sure the Keeper is well. If you want our alliance to thrive, you will do this," Horny growled. Shade smiled and nodded.  _Horny accepted our alliance._  He would do as he was asked. Horny watched the Shadow Demon vanish, and he began pursuit.

An hour later he found her sitting next to another kill she made. She had placed fresh blood on her skin and glared at him when he stepped out into the open.

"Leave me alone!" she scowled.

"You belong to me!" he growled.

"I belong to no one save myself!" she hissed back. "You hurt me!"

He stopped and looked at her. She looked very appealing to him when she stood up tall with defiance. He watched the deer blood drip off her skin and glide down her legs. When he took a closer look, he realized that the wound he gave her had not yet healed.  _She was still leaking blood._

"I told you the first time was the worst," he grunted. The scent of the deer blood mingling with hers was exciting him. She growled, and he saw her black eyes glitter with fury. She began to retreat from the clearing, and he drew back his upper lip.

"Go back and leave me," she hissed in warning. She was about to turn to leave when she caught sight of something in his hand. He had killed a bird in his chase and had saved the heart. He smiled and held it out to her.

"Yes! You want this?" he said with a grin. She growled at her own weakness. The heart was fresh and still dripping blood. She took a step forward. He remained still. He wanted her to eat out of his hand. His thoughts of what to make her do next vanished when she snatched the heart from him and backed away quickly. He caught her by the hair and pulled her back.

"NO!" she howled. He held her fast and squeezed her until she stopped struggling. Then he smelled some of the damp blood on her neck and began to lick it off. He felt her gasp from the shock of sudden pleasure, and he began to lick off more of it. The taste drove him crazy, and he set his scythe aside to move her as he needed to. He made her face him and began to lick the blood off her breasts. She clung to him when the heat of his tongue left her breathless. He grinned and worked down to lick between her legs. When she tried to flee, he grabbed her and forced her still.

"You make me work this hard to keep you at my side, and I'll chain you to the wall!" he growled, as he worked his tongue into her. She cried out at the pleasure that coursed through her, and she couldn't control the urge to grab him by the horns. He growled fiercely at the sudden feeling of his horns being tugged on, but he realized he sort of liked it. After a while, he removed his armored belt and began to take her.

"I...I..." she hissed against him. He snarled and began licking off blood that he missed. She finally cried out her passion when he roared out his. She felt the searing heat of him scorching her again, but this time it was actually pleasuring. He held her tightly to him and stumbled to his knees. His eyes were squeezed shut from the force of his release, and he was breathing heavily. He had never expected himself to succumb to such pleasure! He waited until his breathing lightened before sitting up straight. He opened his eyes slowly and found her clinging to him. He looked up at the cloudy sky and grimaced. He moved her slightly, as he placed his armor back on. He picked up his scythe and put her over his shoulder. She was too weak from the pleasure to disobey him, and he began to move back to the portal.

He knew his way back by following the burned spots on the ground from his own passage. When he finally reached the hole in the ground, he jumped in eagerly. As he walked in, he saw new creatures training and making homes. He went back into the specially made room. A door was put in place of the damaged wall, and he grumbled.  _She could break out again._  He sat down in his throne and pulled her into his lap. He was awed at how her hair fell off the side of the chair like a thick carpet of the blackest night. When he thought of where he could put her, no ideas came to mind.  _I'll have to hold her like this. There was no other choice._

"Excellent. You brought her back," Shade said, as he appeared.

"Yes. A bit of a battle, though," Horny grumbled. He felt her tremble in his arms, and he snorted. "But, she's back with me. That's all that matters."

"Is that dried blood on her?" Shade asked, as he inspected her hair.

"Hmm? Yes. She killed a couple deer while she ran."

"How did she get most of the blood off? She couldn't have had time to bathe."

"I have acquired a new taste for her," he chuckled. Shade looked at him and started laughing. He understood that completely. There was a part of him that felt a touch jealous, but he pushed that thought aside easily.

"In that case, I'll leave you to get the parts you missed! There is an underground river not far from here. She can bathe there, if you let her."

"Not now, that's for sure!" he snarled. Shade faded out. Saithe took a daring peek at Horny and found him deep in thought. She closed her eyes when she sensed him looking at her, and she felt his body tremble with rage. Yet, he did not hurt her. Instead, she felt his fingers outline a newly formed bruise on her side that she developed in her flight away from him. She winced when he pressed on it, and she gasped when she felt the roughness of his tongue on her skin again. She realized that his tongue reminded her of a cat's tongue, and a delicious thrill went through her. The door suddenly opened in front of them, and Horny looked up with a savage snarl.

"Eh?" a Dark Wizard said, as he looked in. He vanished quickly, and the door locked. Horny growled again and went back to licking her. He moved back down to her thighs and positioned her when he needed her to. She didn't know how many times she cried out, and she couldn't tell how much time went by when he finally finished with her. She was straddling his waist, as she panted from his searing heat, and he was clasping her to him as he slept. She couldn't move an inch.

"What now?" she whispered to herself. When she tried to move, he growled deeply in his sleep and hugged her tighter.  _I'm trapped._ She decided to make the most of it. She relaxed her head on his chest and rested. She heard his thunderous heart beating, and it made her crave fresh blood. She made a plaintive noise, and it jolted him out of sleep. Pleased to still find her in his lap, he smirked.

"Hmm?" he asked, as he looked at her. She looked back at him and made a hissing sound. Then her belly growled. He grinned and released her. He watched her go over to the small chicken coop in the room and start desecrating chickens. When she sat down and began to rub the blood on her skin again, he smiled at the sight. He stood up tall and walked over to her. The sight and smell of it made him want her again. She managed to glance at him, and her eyes widened at his length.  _It was no wonder he hurt me so! He was at least thirteen inches long! And his girth was such that it could have ripped me in half!_ She couldn't believe how well she fared so far. She looked up at him and managed a light, nervous smile.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Why do you rub blood on your skin? I don't mind it, but it does confuse me," he asked, as he squatted down next to her.

"I just like the feeling of the warmth it gives," she said with a shrug.

"Don't I give you warmth?" he asked, as he began to lick off the blood.

"You do," she breathed. "I'm sorry I ran from you before."

"You didn't know what to expect from me. I didn't mind the exercise. Just don't do it again. I might bite!" he grinned, as he began to grope her.

"Maybe I should rub human blood on me?" she giggled. He looked at her in thought. A slow, evil grin formed, and he clamped a large hand on her rear.

"I think it would taste rather nicely," he said, as he continued to lick off blood.

"I'll have to remember that for next time," she whispered, as he pulled away from her. He took her quickly to remove his current lust, and she found it easier to bear. Her body was instinctively adjusting to him. When they both recovered, he replaced his armor and grabbed her arm to drag her with him. He could not trust her to walk next to him unattended, and he needed to ensure that she stayed close. He took her into the Workshop and studied the Trolls. One of them looked at her a little too much for his liking, and he brandished his scythe to kill. It was plucked out by an invisible hand and spirited away. The creatures had then learned that Saithe was not for their viewing pleasure. He snorted and dragged her out of the Workshop.

Horny walked with her a little more and they found the Torture Chamber. The red haired woman was there, and she got up from the rack she was torturing herself on.

"Horny!" she said with a thrilled voice. "Did you come to help me play?"

"No," he said flatly. "Just taking a stroll."

"Oh," she said with disappointment. She looked at Saithe and narrowed her eyes. She clearly didn't like the attention that was being given from the powerful demon.

"Look at her like that again, and I'll make sure you never see anything after that!" he seethed. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"You were meant to be with me!" she pouted. "She isn't even fully one of us!"

"SILENCE!" he bellowed. Saithe tried to flee from him, but he held her arm firmly. He crushed her to him and growled dangerously.

"How could you do this to me?" she asked sadly.

"Because I can, and I just did!" he said with a grin and walked off with Saithe. As the forsaken Mistress watched them leave, she glowered with fury. She now had a grudge against the new girl. Horny continued to walk with Saithe as though nothing was wrong. They walked past the Prison and the Temple. They walked past several hallways until they got back to his chambers. The door locked behind him, but only until he was ready to head back out to protect the dungeon. After he released her, he said, "I'll let you wander in this room only. If you flee again, you'll wish we've never met! I have business to attend to. I'll be right back."

She watched him leave, and she sat on the ground.  _What can I do now? As long as I stay here, I'm sure he won't hurt me._  She saw his throne and shrugged. She hopped into the massive chair and decided to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

She woke to the sound of something banging on the door. Something was not right, and she began to fear the worst. Her fears were correct. The dungeon was being attacked again, and a massive barbarian brute knocked down the door.

"A girl? Trapped?" he said, as he ogled her naked form. Her hair was barely covering her body, but she knew what she had to do.

"Shadows avenge me!" she hissed, as she sat straight up. The darkness swarmed around the human and began to sink into him.

"What is this?!" he screamed, as he felt his body deforming. When the shadows were done feasting, all that remained was his shadow trapped in the rest of the darkness. She grinned and ran out. The shadows swarmed and mingled about her, as she searched for survivors. She was in luck.  _They had just started the attack._  The creatures whooped with glee when the shadows cut down the enemy in seconds. Some humans melted into a pool of flesh, and the monsters ate at it hungrily. She searched for Horny. She found him next to the massive, beating Heart. He had managed to keep it unscathed, but he had taken the full brunt of the attack. She knelt next to him and placed her hands on his face.

"Damned humans!" he seethed, as he grimaced from multiple wounds. "They know our exact location!"

"Then maybe we should move the force?" she asked. She opened her vein and let her blood drip on the demon's skin. He gasped from the feeling of his organs mending and his bones starting to snap back into place. He roared from the pain and suddenly stopped. She had sat down and pulled his head into her lap. He stared into her black, lightless eyes and felt swallowed by their lovely, endless depths. Her hair draped over him like a blanket, and he saw her smile coldly. He grinned at her. He was healed. She licked her wrist closed and placed her hands on her hips.

"I feel brand new," he grunted, as he sat up to clutch her.

"Good," she smiled. "I think I finally grasped my powers at long last."

"Not a moment too soon, either," he growled. He saw a nearby human corpse and pulled it over with his scythe. He sliced it in half and pulled out the heart.

"We can be seen," she said, as she sank her teeth into the human heart.

"For once, I don't care!" he growled, as he sank his teeth into the other half of it. The blood spilled over her, and he licked it up eagerly. She groaned, as he worked his tongue around her neck where the blood collected, and he began to work his way down. He placed his hand in the human's corpse and bloodied it. He began to drizzle the blood over her skin, and he licked up every drop.

"I think I know what to make my bed," she breathed. He stopped and looked at her. He snorted and licked a spot he missed by her ear.

"What is that?" he asked in the form of a husky whisper.

"Come back with me to our lair, and I'll show you," she said with a smile. He growled, as he was not finished with her, but he was curious as to what she had in mind. He got up and pulled her to him. They walked quickly back to their room, and he stood by his throne. She smiled and examined the bare carpet behind it.

A tub filled with blood appeared on the empty spot. The tub was actually an opened heart that was still beating. She sank herself down into it and smiled at the heated warmth that ebbed through the thick liquid. She drank her fill of it and even managed to bite along the edges of the tub. Blood spurted from her teeth marks, but it appeared to heal seconds after the attack. She put her whole head under the surface with a profound joy. She stood up and let the blood flow off her body. Her hair was left sticky and saturated. She let her hands roam over her skin with pure enjoyment.

Horny's eyes were wide with sudden lust at this, and he thought of an idea. He removed all of his armor and sank into the tub with her. She noticed that the shoulder spikes were actually his own and not part of the armored shoulders. She smiled and pressed herself against him.

"This is nice," he mused.

"I don't think this heart is big enough," she breathed.

"Then I'll make room for it," he grinned, as he reached for his scythe. The heart doubled in size at the threat, and they both chuckled. She had no idea as to how long they remained in her bed. She had no idea how much blood the heart pumped out. All that she knew was that Horny enjoyed her idealistic choice of bedding and began to show it. When he finally cleaned her up, she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Let me clean you up," she whispered. He looked at her rather oddly, but then he grinned when she began to lick him. He growled with pleasure when she began to clean his groin, and he put his hands in her hair. The blood stuck to them, and he hissed when her hands moved around to caress his waist. He ground his teeth together and pushed her head down on him fully when he reached his limit. He held her like that for several seconds before releasing her. She gasped from the swirl of heat he released down her throat, and it took her a moment to recollect herself.

"Now that was unexpected," he said with a smile. He let her hands roam up to the sides of his neck in a surprisingly gentle massage before she released him.

"I need to bathe in a riverbed," she sighed. "I can't stand my hair being like this. It needs to flow out like the unblinking darkness."

"I'll take you to a place I know of," he grumbled. He dressed and pulled her along by the arm. He led her to the river Shade spoke of and watched her dive into it. She cleaned out the blood that had dried and emerged feeling fresh and new. Horny managed to dry her hair completely by running his hands through it. The heat he gave off removed all of the dampness that was there.

"What now?" she asked. They both heard cheering and whistling in the distance.

"I believe there is a fight happening in the Combat Pit. Let's see who the poor fools are," he said. She nodded, and he led her there. They were able to push the crowd aside to look into the pit. The Mistress was fighting some sort of fat, legless, red demon. The creature had two horns sprouting from its head like Horny, but it had two spike ball and chain weapons swinging from them.

"Who is fighting?" she asked him.

"It's the Mistress and a Bile Demon," Horny muttered to Saithe.

"Give her the gas!" a Goblin cheered. The Bile Demon farted out a cloud, and the Mistress choked on it before slapping his face hard. It knocked the demon out. She raised her clawed hand in victory, as an Imp dragged the loser to bed.

"Who is next?!" the Mistress hissed. Horny snorted and was about to leave only to find Saithe plucked from his side. He growled with intense anger, and everyone shushed. Saithe was placed in the pit.

"Get out of there!" he snarled.

"How?!" she asked. The Mistress grinned and brandished her claws. This was a chance for her to enact her grudge and get even. Saithe backed away fearfully and got knocked down by a bolt of lightning.

"GET OUT OF THERE!" Horny bellowed. Saithe tried to climb out, but she found nowhere to get a foothold. The Mistress hissed and slapped her face. Then Saithe stopped and looked at the woman. Her eyes burrowed into her rival's eyes, and the Mistress gasped. She was being sucked down into those eyes of eternal blackness and could not pull her consciousness out of it.

Horny snarled, but then began to grin when he watched Saithe dish out blow after blow to the Mistress's body. She did powerful kicks and punches like she was taught until the woman was staggering. Then she did something that shocked herself.

"Shadows, hear me!" she spat. "Destroy my enemy!"

Her body levitated from the help of shadows. Black, bat-like wings sprouted from her back, and a wickedly pointed tail lashed out to strike across the Mistress's face like a horrid whip. A breeze pushed back her black hair to reveal newly pointed ears, and her lips curled back to reveal pointed fangs. Her hair fanned out around her like a black circle of death that seemed to suck up any light the room offered. She raised her hands, and shadows flew from them like a rain of fire balls. They all hit the Mistress head-on.

Horny watched her in silence. The Mistress fell to the ground unconscious. The entire room was hushed to nothing. Rats skittered across the floor and made echoes down the hallways. Saithe had attained her true form to champion evil.

She found herself pulled out of the pit and back at Horny's side. She spat and flapped her wings to lift herself briefly before deciding to stand. Horny looked at her and narrowed his glowing eyes. It was a touch of new respect for his mate. She actually blinked and blushed slightly at it before letting the feeling fade.

"You are a bit of a Succubus. That explains your need for blood and the ability to call the shadows," he said with a smile. "That also explains why you are more powerful than the Mistress. I think you need to relax. Follow me."

She glared at him, hissed, and followed him. The creatures backed away from her when she looked at them. She snorted when a Troll fell unconscious for looking back at her. He couldn't handle the power of her gaze. Only Horny would be able to find solitude within it. She found herself in a Casino. Horny chased out any others that were there, and he led her over to the wall. He gave her a bottle of booze to drink. She sniffed it and took a sip. She got violently sick.

"What the Hell is this?!" she scowled. "It's nasty!"

"What's this? You can't hold your liquor?" he laughed.

"It is not blood, you fool!" she snarled. He looked at her blankly. He bared his teeth and moved to strike her, but he looked at his outstretched arm in thought.

"Let's try an experiment," he growled. He drank several bottles down like nothing and scratched his arm open with his scythe. He grabbed her by the back of the head and pushed the wound to her lips. He felt her prick the wound to open it further, and he drank another bottle down. After several minutes, she pulled herself away from him and staggered to a card table. His blood was like a potent elixir that was enhanced by the alcohol. It tasted unlike anything she had ever imagined, and she craved more of it. She was dizzy from it, but she was smiling.

"That's some good stuff!" she said, as she licked her lips clean.

"Interesting. You can only eat freshly slaughtered hearts and drink fresh blood. This is a rather strange form of food," he grumbled, as his arm healed.

"A Succubus can be like a Vampire, right?" she asked. He looked at her and snorted. He leered at a Troll that tried to gamble and watched the creature leave with fright. He walked over to Saithe and began to lick her neck. She hissed and rubbed herself against him. She felt him feel along her back to examine the new wings, and he stopped only briefly when her tail curled along his thigh. That was too much for him, and he set her on a nearby card table to have her.

He snarled and pulled her legs apart, as his belt was removed. She placed her feet on his chest and arched her back while he thrust harshly into her. Every time he breached her womb, he was rewarded with a high pitched squeal. He snarled at any creature who tried to enter the Casino and made sure they left them in peace. She finally screamed, and he buckled with a savage roar. He grabbed her hips to keep her from moving, and he breathed deeply. He felt her tremble violently when he braced himself from the pleasure. With a sudden yawn, he backed away from her and replaced his armor.

He pulled her off the card table and began to teach her how to gamble. She caught on quickly, and they never noticed the other creatures start to filter back in. She walked over to a card game and dealt a hand. She won the jackpot.

"You won?" he smirked at her luck.

"I won!" she said, as she jumped up and down. He smiled and watched the room dim. Music started playing and fireworks shot out. He took her to the Treasury. She picked up twenty-five thousand gold coins.

"It's a whole payroll," he mused. "Let's head back."

She agreed, and he hefted the large sack over his shoulder with ease. When they reached her bed, she hollowed out an extra chamber and stored the gold inside it. With that done, she looked at him and asked, "Think this will work?"

"Clever," he said. "This way there is some extra cash when needed. I like it!"

"I'll stay here for a while. You go and scour for humans," she said. He nodded and moved to hug her. They looked at each other in shock. He turned and walked away. At that, she had her eyes wide and whispered, "Oh, no! Is he...in love with me?"

She stared at the ground after that for quite some time. She knew that she loved him the moment she saw him, but she was too wise to say it aloud.  _If he learned to love me in return, he'll never truly be the same to others._  She walked back over to his throne and studied the massive structure. The bones were polished white and bound together with sinewy threads. A giant skull sat on top of it. The armrests were arms with hands, and the legs were actual legs with feet. She smiled and sat in it again. When the door opened, she looked at the intruder.

"Am I disturbing you?" the Mistress asked, as she walked in.

"No. Why?"

"I just wanted to congratulate you, myself, for defeating me. Not many can."

"Fine. Now leave."

"Not yet. I have news about Horny."

"What news?" Saithe asked skeptically.

"Meet me in front of the Torture Chamber in five minutes. I'll tell you there."

She watched the Mistress leave. She had a very awful feeling that it was a trap, but she decided to let Horny do the punishing. She jumped off the chair and found her way to the Torture Chamber. On walking in, she said, "What news do you have?"

"Glad you could make it," the Mistress grinned and tackled her. Saithe fought back, but the woman was prepared. She soon had Saithe strapped down to a rack.

"Let me go!" Saithe snarled.

"I can't do that," she seethed. She took out a whip and began to strike her.

"I'm warning you!" Saithe shouted, as she was struck over and over.

"What are you going to do about it? You can't get up!"

"But  _I_  am up!" Horny growled and backhanded the Mistress into a wall. "I warned you to stay away from Saithe!"

"Um..." she said before she got backhanded again. "Ow! I just thought that, with her out of the way, we could be together again!"

"You idiot! Did you really think that I would let  _you_  of all the creatures here be with me? I practically have to rape Saithe to get what I want!" Horny sneered. He struck the Mistress again, and she fled.

"I tried to warn her," Saithe grumbled.

"And I warned you that if you left that room you would wish we never met, didn't I?" he growled. He looked on the table near the wall and picked up a riding crop.

"You wouldn't dare!" she howled.

"Watch me!" he jeered, as he struck her with it.

"I never fled!" she cried out. "That bitch told me she knew information about you and to meet you here! I never thought she would have tricked me!"

"You fool! You humiliated her in the Combat Pit and pushed her out of my eyes! You didn't think that you would have been tricked?!" he snarled, as he hit her again.

"Stop, Horny!" Shade said, as he appeared.

"Stay out of this!" he growled.

"I won't!" he snapped. "She speaks the truth!"

Horny growled savagely and broke the crop in half. He stormed out of the room. Shade looked at his daughter and clucked his tongue.

"Father..." she said with a soft frown.

"You knew this would have happened," he chided, as he freed her.

"I just knew the Mistress was going to get her just desserts. I did not expect Horny to lash out at me!" she spat. She rubbed the spots the crop hit her and traced the red lines from the whip. She got up and stretched out her wings with irritation.

"You did well in the Combat Pit. I was not expecting this form to appear from you," he said, as he watched her. "Is there anything you want right now?"

"I want to be left alone," she whispered. She walked out of the room and lost herself in thought. She found an abandoned corner in a hallway and sat down. For the first time in her life she broke down into tears. She was at a loss of what to say or do. Her mate was truly a short fuse, but she did not care about that. He did not trust anyone else, but she knew he was beginning to trust her. She didn't like that.  _He had to stay away from me._ She was changing him, and they both knew it. At the need to know, she whispered, "Shadows...please give me the truth."

The light faded at the shadow's touch and covered her in a comforting blanket. She heard that her fears were correct, and that she should try to leave the dungeon again. She needed to try and run as far away as she could. They protected her while she cried again and muffled her cries to the world. After several more minutes, they alarmed her that humans were close. She rose up, and the fiery spirit of battle took place. She started to prepare herself, but they caught her by surprise.

"Put a circle of light on this one!" a Dwarf shrieked. She hissed and killed him on the spot, but she found herself glowing.

"NO!" she screamed. She found herself levitated and pushed into a tight ball. The light kept her shadows from her. She heard a Wizard chuckling in the background.

"What do we have here, eh?" he said, as he studied his catch. "What? Lilith?!"

"You lived?!" she hissed.  _It was the village Wizard._ She was trapped.

"Look at what those vile creatures have done to you!" he said. "I'll fix you right away! I have the ability to remove the evil taint from you. Now, where is my scroll...?"

"NO!" she shouted. "If you do, I'll surely die! It's a curse and bound to my life!"

"A curse?" he gasped. "Who did this to you?"

"A red demon with great horns in his head," she lied smoothly. "He did this to me! I was about to hunt him down in vengeance, but you caught me! If you release me, I can see about killing him to free myself."

"I'm sorry, but I can't release the spell from this shield. The only way it can be released is if someone confessed their undying love to you. It is the purest spell I had!" he said. "If Clyde were here..."

"He's dead. I saw him killed, myself, some time back," she said bluntly. The Wizard sighed miserably.

"Then you are stuck here until someone comes to love you."

"You have got to be joking!" she said with shock.

"I wish I wasn't! I'll take you back to my base. The light shield will keep you from harm," he said, as he muttered an incantation. The circle moved with the Wizard, and she panicked.  _Horny was definitely going to be_ very _pissed off._


	7. Chapter 7

"Where is she?!" Horny scowled, as he searched for her.

"Let me listen to the shadows," Shade offered. Horny growled, but he nodded his head. Shade mumbled in trance and then began to sputter.

"What?!" Horny demanded.

"The humans from her old village have her!" he fumed. "They have her encased in a ball of light!"

"WHAT?!" Horny shrieked.

"There were survivors!" Shade explained. "An old Wizard managed to keep others alive here!"

"I'll slaughter them all!" he snarled. "If they touched her..."

Shade watched the demon slather and narrow his eyes with vengeance. Shade pointed in her direction, and they gave chase. Other creatures they passed took notice of this and knew a war was afoot. They gathered up their weapons and followed them. Several more followed, and a force was rallied. They found the human encampment past a riverbed. It appeared to be well-guarded.

"Let me sneak in first!" Shade said. "I'll tell you what I see and where the weakest line of defense is!"

"Be quick!" Horny ordered. Shade nodded and vanished. After what seemed like an eternity, Shade came back grinning.

"Saithe has used her charm spells well. They are fighting amongst each other! Let's attack!" Shade bellowed. Horny screamed bloody murder when he charged, and the others cried out their war cries.

"The darkness is coming!" the Wizard shouted. The Knights were too busy fighting with each other to hear him. The Wizard looked at Saithe and saw her grinning.

"You are out of your league, old man!" she hissed.

"You were evil all this time!" he said, as he scowled. "You knew this would happen! All that time in the village...you knew what you were and stayed hidden!"

"I'm the daughter of a Shadow Demon, old man!" she crowed. "You will die well! My Father will make sure of it!"

The Wizard stuttered, but he knew he could not hurt her.  _The light shield would prevent me._  He smiled, as he knew she would at least remain trapped for the rest of her days, and he ran towards the battle to help his townsmen.

"Wizard!" Horny snarled, as he cut down a Knight.

"Red Demon! Die!" the Wizard shouted, as he hurled a fire ball. Horny batted it back at him, and the old man was struck down by his own magic. When the fighting was over, the creatures parted back to their lairs. Horny walked forward and found Saithe in the ball of light. He tried to hack at it, but his scythe passed right through it.

"Father, I need you to leave," Saithe said. Shade looked at her with a rare look of surprise. Horny glared at him, and he vanished. Then she looked at her mate and said, "Horny, I...I want you to leave, too."

"No," he said flatly. "I fought here to get you."

"You don't understand," she said. "If you release me, then you will never be yourself. Don't you know this?"

"I...I do know," he admitted. "I didn't want to believe it at first, but I know."

"I don't want you to free me. Go!" she urged. "I can't let you change!"

"I'm not going anywhere! That Wizard told you something. What was it?"

She hesitated, but told him how the light shield would disperse. Horny snarled and shook his head.  _She was right about me changing._  He couldn't help her, yet he couldn't leave her, either. He thought long and hard about the situation, and he made several realizations that seemed to make sense to him.  _Something happened to me in the short time I've known her. No other will suit me._  He turned his back to her and heard her sigh sadly. He already regretted beating her in the Torture Chamber. He had promised himself that he would make amends while he searched for her. He ground his teeth with frustration and howled. It was one of his most chilling howls, and it penetrated the very core of the earth. He came to a decision and had to vent his rage.

"Please!" she whispered. "Leave! Preserve yourself!"

"I..." he growled, as he looked at the ground hard. "I...love...you..."

"NO!" she cried, as the ball exploded around her, and she dropped harshly to the ground. Her hair soaked up the last rays of light the ball shed, and she burst into tears. He turned suddenly and looked down at her. He realized that she didn't want him to love her.  _She was afraid of what would happen to me._  The ball would only have released her if the confession was true. If he lied, it would have done nothing.

"Saithe..." he sighed.

"Why?!" she asked, as she looked at him. He gazed into her eyes and fell into their black depths. She made him forget his sorrows and worries.  _She made me feel happy._  There was no other way to explain it.

"Because," he whispered. "it's the truth."

She watched him shrug and look away. She shivered from the lack of warmth and found herself in his arms. She grabbed him by the horns and pulled his head into her chest. He grumbled something and hugged her tighter.

"What?" she asked.

"I would have killed anyone who dared to touch my horns," he growled. "However, I will make one exception."

"It's a sign of weakness. Of submission, right?" she asked. He sighed.

"Yes. You are right. I can't think of anyone other than you doing this."

"You aren't going to beat me?" she asked.

"I am already torturing myself for what I did earlier!" he snarled. "You know of my temper and how it can get out of control!"

"Well, sometimes it is needed," she whispered. He held her with his head spinning with thoughts. Most of them were conflicting. They both started laughing when they heard the death cries of the humans sputtering around them, and she whispered into his slightly pointed ear. He grinned greatly and carried her over to the Wizard. He was still alive, but unable to move or speak. At the sight of him, she hissed out, "Look, old man! I'm free of your spell!"

"And now you die!" Horny snarled and wrenched out the Wizard's heart. The human screamed and died shortly after. They both feasted on it and licked the blood off each other. He sat her on his knee, as he knelt down to lick her skin clean.

"You know, I have to tell you something," she whispered.

"Hmm?" he muttered, as he licked her breasts.

"Ever since I first saw you, I had fallen in love with you."

He snapped his head up to look at her.

"Are you serious?!"

"Yes. I just never said anything, because I couldn't. It wouldn't have been right."

"If I had known, I would have ignored you. Maybe you should have told me."

"I doubt you would have ignored me. I intrigued you too much!"

"You still do," he grumbled. They looked at each other, and he kissed her. The only other time he did that was when he made Clyde look like a fool. She felt swept up by him, and her hands strayed from his horns to the sides of his face. He growled and stood up tall with her in his arms. He surveyed the dead and grinned. He began to carry her back to his lair. The moment they touched familiar soil, they were both plucked and dropped into his chair.

"Who  _is_  that?!" she asked with irritation.

"That is the Keeper. This is his dungeon, and it is his Heart that you saved," he said. He began to explain how the dungeon worked. As she began to understand, he told her more about what normally happens.

"The village is destroyed up above!" she said.

"We are seeking to conquer the castle," he replied. "The Keeper was the one that put you into the Combat Pit. Apparently, he knew that your powers would be awakened with a touch of experience. He tends to know such things. He slaps around anyone he likes, except for me. He knows I'll destroy his force. Do your part, and he won't harm you. You already saved his Heart, so I think he is holding a bit of favor for you in the form of gratitude. I have an allegiance with him, because he is the most successful at destruction. I choose to work for him."

After a moment of silence, gold coins showered over them. She squealed with protest, but he smiled and saluted the ceiling.

"Your payment?" she asked.

"Only another five thousand," he grinned. She collected the coins and stashed them away. He chuckled at that.

"You know, I could resume my human form and visit the castle with news of the village under attack," she thought. "I can get them roused with false information, and you can attack from under their feet."

He laughed heartily at this and pulled her back into his lap.

"That is not a bad idea at all! Have them focus their forces in opposite directions! It would completely catch them off guard!"

"I would need you to beat me. It would help my disguise."

He grimaced. She looked at him with her brows raised.

"I guess I have changed. I hit you before without mercy," he growled.

"Have the Mistress do it then," she said. "Or my Father. He can beat me whenever he likes."

"He'd better not do it in the same room as me!" he snorted.

"True, but it would help me. You should do it. It is your nature to hurt others, as well as yourself," she said sweetly. He growled and kissed her. His hands strayed to her rear and squeezed ruefully. He muttered, as her hands went back up to his horns. He looked at her seriously.

"I honestly thought I had lost you," he rumbled. "And, for the very first time in my life since I could even remember...I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?" she asked softly.

"I was afraid of losing you," he hissed and kissed her again. "Maybe you shouldn't go. We can send the Mistress."

"With her attitude? No, it would have to be me," she said. He growled at that and pushed his face against her neck. His eyes locked onto a chicken that wandered out of its pen, and he skewered it with his scythe. She grinned and plucked out the heart. He tossed the carcass away and sucked the blood off her fingers. She held a piece of heart with her teeth, and he shook his head at her. Then, to her surprise, he took the morsel with his own mouth. Even he blinked and sighed at his action.

"I need to walk around the dungeon," he grunted, as he moved her. She nodded, and he managed to hug her tightly to him.

"I am not moving a muscle from your chair or my bath!" she said.

"Good. I'll be back later," he said. When he left, she stepped into her warm bath and sank down into the pulsating mass. She ate her fill of it and smiled when she was drenched in the spurting blood. When she began to relax, her father appeared.

"So, he loves you now?" he mused.

"Please keep quiet!" she growled. "I didn't want it to happen! So, shut it!"

"That's no way to speak to your father!" he snapped. "Besides, I wouldn't tell anyone but the shadows. They know already, anyways."

"The shadows or the creatures?"

"The shadows," he grumbled. He dipped his finger into the heart and smiled.

"What?" she asked.

"Tell me what you were planning to do at the castle," he said. She sighed and told him what she was thinking of doing. That made him think. "And you need someone to beat you?"

"I was thinking about it," she admitted. He gazed at her long and hard in thought.

"I have an idea."

"Oh?" she asked. "Care to share the thought?"

"It would help if I showed you," he said, as he got into the tub with her. Needless to say, she freaked out.  _This is my father! What was he thinking?!_

"What are you doing?!" she spat.

"Something I've been wanting to do!" he snarled and held her arms away from her sides. He was glad that he was able to grip her blood-coated skin. It was easy to find the right places on her to hold her down. She couldn't summon any shadows, since he was the superior. He began to pry her legs open with his own.

"Stop it!" she hissed. She tried to flap her wings, but he outmaneuvered her by a long shot. He planted a hot kiss on her mouth, and she fumed with rage.

"All is well...WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Horny bellowed at the scene.

"Horny!" she screamed. "Help me!"

"Get off of her!" he snarled and moved to punch Shade. His target vanished and he hit Saithe instead. The blow knocked her unconscious, and she sank into the blood. He pulled her out by the hair to keep her from drowning and set her on the floor. "Saithe! Are you all right? Damn it!"

"Bravo! You hit her!" Shade cheered.

"You son of a bitch!" Horny hissed and tried to swipe at him with his scythe. Shade faded out and remained untouched.

"Oh, come on! By the time she wakes up she'll have a nice bruise on her face. It will look perfect!" he said. "I'm only trying to help."

"Shut up!" Horny spat and lunged again. Shade faded again and was unscathed.

"I'll take my leave now!" he said and bowed while he vanished. Horny went to Saithe's side and wiped the blood off her face. His blow struck her in the temple.  _She was out cold._  Horny looked at the ceiling as though in a silent fury. A soft glow surrounded her, and she woke slowly.

"Ugh..." she whispered. "What...?"

"You've been healed by the Keeper. You may still feel groggy," he said. He explained what happened, and she shuddered horribly.

"He tried to rape me to get you to attack me?" she asked. "Why would he do such a thing?! It doesn't make sense!"

"It makes perfect sense to me!" he seethed. "The bastard was going to purposely rape you to make me attack him. He phases out, and I hit you instead. He's trying to get me to beat you again. Wrong way to go about it!"

She trembled and clung to him. He gazed into her black eyes again and felt himself falling in them. He could never get enough of the sensation. Her hair was matted with blood, and he picked her up to carry her. He took her to the riverbed and let her wash herself off. He took her back and found Shade sitting in his chair.

"Welcome back!" he said cheerfully.

"Get out of my throne!" Horny said dangerously.

"But I thought we could share!" Shade said with a grin. Horny narrowed his eyes and knew what he was talking about.

"You are my Father! What's wrong with you?!" Saithe asked.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me to keep myself from spoiling you!" Shade growled. "I had to do everything I could to hold myself back! That night I saw you lying in the meadow nude and covered with blood was nearly my undoing!"

"You are an idiot!" Horny snarled. Shade got up and walked towards her tub.

"Maybe we should settle this in another way," he mused. "Maybe in the Combat Pit? Winner takes all?"

"No!" Saithe said.

"Why not? It will show us who the better is!" Horny hissed. Shade snapped his fingers, and Saithe found herself overlooking the Combat Pit. Horny and Shade were in the center and had begun to attack each other.

"Stop it!" she screamed while other monsters cheered them on. Horny attacked with pure hatred and anger, while Shade attacked with amusement. She watched them spar with sparks flying off nothing and flames keeping shadows at bay. Finally she could take no more of it. She turned and fled. When she did this, both creatures looked up and realized what they had done. Shade doubled over suddenly and gasped. Horny stopped himself just as his scythe was ready to slice the Shadow Demon in half.

"The humans..." Shade whispered. "they cursed me..."

"What?!" Horny said.

"I found an encampment of humans not long ago! They made a spell that can cast charm on shadows!" Shade said with regret. "My daughter! Oh, what have I done?!"

"We," Horny said. "need to find those humans and slaughter them before Saithe runs into them!"

Shade nodded and focused on the shadows to find her.

"She's gone," he whispered. "The shadows are hiding her!"

"What?!" Horny spat.

"She called on the shadows to hide her from harm!" Shade said. "They are pitying her situation and are ignoring my orders!"

"So we have to find her by luck?!"

"Not we. YOU have to find her by luck!" Shade said. "They'll move her away from me. Not from you."

Horny managed to slap Shade hard and left the area to find his mate. Shade grinned and knew he deserved it.


	8. Chapter 8

She was wrapped in the comforting darkness. The shadows soothed her and whispered secrets to her. They hid her from the prying eyes of the living and shrouded her with death. She was afraid of what would happen, but she was relieved when the shadows told her Shade was just enchanted.  _He never wanted to hurt me._

"Can I go back to them?" she whispered. A sorrowful feeling filled her.  _I can't go back yet. It wouldn't be safe._  At a look of panic, she whispered, "But, Horny..."

The shadows filled her with comfort. They would make sure Horny found her. They placed her in the Treasury and scattered coins in places where Horny could find them. It should be an easy clue for him to pick up.

"Where could they be hiding her?" he grumbled. He searched the ground and stopped short. He found a gold coin on the ground. He went to the Casino and felt along the walls.  _She was likely invisible._  If anyone looked at him, he glared at them. They went about their business quickly. He found another coin. As he got closer to the Treasury, he kept finding coins. He finally picked up on it and rushed into the Treasury. He sniffed the air and looked around. He growled and stalked the corners. He finally reached out and grabbed something solid. At his touch, the shadows revealed her.

"Horny!" she breathed and hugged him.

"Saithe!" he whispered and felt her tug on his horns. He growled and licked her neck. She kissed the side of his face.

"I thought you'd never find me!" she said. "I had the shadows hide me, and I had no idea they would have done this..."

"Your father..."

"I know. The shadows told me everything. If I stayed and watched the fight, something might have happened. I don't like running from my problems, but..."

"It's fine for this once," he rumbled. "I don't think anyone should run from their problems, either. The one time you did stopped something hideous from happening. Just don't do that anymore...unless the situation calls for it. Like this one."

"I would never run from you, Horny. Never again," she smiled, and he hugged her tighter. He released her and let her walk with him.

"Let's head back to our room," he said. She nodded. He finally trusted her enough to let her walk alongside him as an equal. He snarled at an Imp and kicked it down the hall. She laughed, and he grinned at her.  _It felt so good to be bad!_  They got to their room, and he pulled her close.

"You have a short fuse," she chided.

"I'll lengthen it a little for you," he grumbled. She smiled and felt his hands move over her body. She grabbed his horns and pulled his head down. He brushed her hair away from her chest, and he removed his belt. He pulled her legs over his waist and supported her rear with his hands. She sucked in her breath when she slid onto him. Her wings spread out for balance, and her tail wrapped around his waist. He snarled and lost himself in her eyes. He collapsed to his knees and was surprised to find her pushing him onto the ground. He was going to resist, but he hissed instead at the sight of her body arching on top of him. He ground his teeth and snarled at her cold smile. He moved with her and found himself grunting from the strain.

"Not this time! It's my turn!" she snarled at him and pressed her hips against his. His eyes went wide from the sudden act, and he reached up to grab her breasts.

"I'm going to get your nipples pierced!" he growled.

"Why is that?" she asked, as she ran her fingernails down his chest.

"Think of it as a sign of being branded!" he grinned.

"Should I get my belly button pierced, too?" she asked.

"I don't see why not. A little gemstone there...maybe a silver horned skull hanging here..." he muttered, as he pinched her nipples. She screeched at him and looked down at what he did. He had actually pierced her nipples with silver horned skulls that had small fangs. They were done completely in his skull's likeness.

"How did you do that?!" she hissed.

"Easy as this," he grinned and pinched the top of her belly button. She shrieked from the brief pain and found a gemmed loop there. The black onyx winked in the silver setting. He looked at her and grinned his approval. He placed his hands on her hips and began to thrust into her sharply. She cried out and bucked back onto him. The sight of her pierced breasts turned him on horribly, and he lost whatever hold he had. She gasped at his release, and she looked down at him. He sighed and looked away.

"What is it?" she asked.

"The castle idea you have. I like it, but I don't want you to be involved."

"It must be done, somehow. I am the only one with the required temperament. I'm going to ask you a question."

"What?" he asked, as he looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"Do you trust me enough to let me do this on my own?"

He sat up and looked at her. He was uncertain. He traced her cheek with a clawed finger. She pushed his finger away and glared at him. He finally said, "It's not that I don't trust you! I just worry that you'll get hurt!"

"You are being a pussy."

"What?!" he growled. She looked at him and put her hands on her hips.

"You are. If you can't let me do something to let the castle crumble faster, then what's the point?"

"I know you're right. I just don't want you to get hurt!"

"I can control the shadows to hide me, remember?" she asked, as she poked him in the temple. He growled, but he looked at her evenly.

"Why must you keep doing this to me?"

"Because you are no longer a bad ass! You're a wuss!"

"I should slap you!"

"Then do it!" she scowled. He slapped her. She looked at him and smiled. "Do it again. I dare you!"

He slapped her again. He looked at her and grinned.  _She gave me back my ability to hit her, if needed._ When she grinned back, he looked at her oddly. She slapped him. He looked at her with a sneer, and he shoved her off of him.

"Go to the castle at sunset," he said.

"And when I get there?" she asked.

"Tell the king that the army of darkness is massing in the east."

"Will you come from the west?"

"No. We will come out from his dungeon prison under his nose!"

"Good. It's about time you started feeling like your old self."

"Just remember. If anything happens to you, I'm slaughtering anything that moves! I don't care what it is!"

"Well, that goes without saying. I'll send shadows to you when I start exploring the castle so you know every weakness to exploit. Just try not to slice up too many hearts. I might get hungry."

He grinned and pulled on one of her skulls. She shrieked and slapped his hand away. With a scowl he took a wandering chicken and crushed it in his hand. She watched him and smiled. He threw the chicken away and looked at her.

"I think you should leave now."

"Beat me up first," she said. He growled and glared at her.

"I'm not in the mood."

"Pussy whipped bastard! Human fool!" she spat. He looked at her with a deadly intent. He watched her stand up and let her wings sink into her back. Her tail seemed to melt down, as well. When she turned to summon the shadows, he dragged her back down by her hair. She screamed, as he slapped her all over with his burning temper. When he finished, he hissed at what he did. She was barely able to breath from the way she was coughing up her blood, and he grimaced.

"You pissed me off a bit more than my liking," he muttered. "Can you move?"

"That...was too...much..." she gasped. He kissed her forehead gently and watched her vanish. The shadows would deliver her personally to the castle's front gate at sunset. He stood up and replaced his armor. He grinned and decided to smack around anyone not working.


	9. Chapter 9

She reached the massive gates in seconds and saw the sun setting. She was wearing a tattered brown cloak, and she stumbled to the ground weakly.

"Who goes there?!" a guard cried out.

"I am a girl from the village to the east!" she cried. "We were attacked!"

"Let her in!" he called out to another guard. The gates opened wide, and she was carried in. She could barely walk, as it was.

"Let's have a look," the first guard said, as he studied her face. "She's beaten up pretty badly! Take her to the healer!"

She felt herself get lifted and rushed to the medical wing of the castle. The old healer looked at her with great concern and began to heal the worst parts of her beating. She was glad he did not have to work on bare flesh, as she did not want her skulls revealed.  _That would have destroyed everything._

"This is the most awful thing I have ever seen!" he grumbled, as he started healing the smaller bruises.

"I was captured by demons," she whispered. "They did such horrible things to me...I don't want to remember them!"

"I see. Well, you are perfectly safe here," he said.

"No! I'm not! I overheard their plans! They are going to swarm this place!" she said with a mocked fear.

"What?! That's impossible!" the healer said. "Surely they are going to dig up from the ground beneath us..."

"No, they're not!" she said in a rush. "They said you'd be expecting it! They were going to try a night attack above ground!"

"My God..." he breathed. "I must notify the king right away! You are healed now, child. One of the servants will bring you to a bed chamber for you to dress. You will be led to the king afterwards."

She nodded and watched him leave. She snickered silently at how easy this was. A man came in wearing brown peasant garb and bowed to her. She nodded, and he took her to a bottom floor guest room. A big silver bathtub was filled with fresh, scented water, and several maids were ready to help her dress.

"Um, can I bathe alone please?" she whispered. "I never had the opportunity to bathe alone since my attack!"

"Surely, miss," a maid said with a smile. They all left. She made sure the door was bolted, and she covered the windows. She pulled the tattered cloak off and sank into the heated water. She scrubbed off all the filth and dirt she could. She looked at her skulls and grumbled.  _I'll have to hide them with extra padding._  She hoped the dress would have extra ruffles on the bust area. She scrubbed her hair clean and stood up to let the water run off her. She found a nearby drying cloth and dried herself.

"Now, where is the dress they want me to wear?" she growled, as she searched. She found it on the massive bed and raised her brow. They had given her a silver and black corset dress with short sleeves. The skirt was full and reached the ground easily. When she put it on, she unbolted the door and summoned a maid to help her finish it. At a first glance, the maid knew what had to be done.

"This dress suits you!" the maid said with a pleased tone.

"It's been so long since I had a decent dress. I never had one as fine as this, though," Saithe admitted.  _I was too poor to own much, as it was._

"Oh, it was Prince Jonas's idea. He saw you carried in and decided to help you out with your clothes."

"Really? Then I must thank him personally," she said with a mildly sarcastic tone in her voice. The maid looked at her strangely, but she shrugged it off. The dress gave her a drastic cleavage, but the ruffles covered up the skulls nicely. The maid never saw them, much to Saithe's relief.

She fixed up Saithe's hair into a spiraled braid that gently reached the floor. At a second glance, the maid looped the braid into a soft bun to keep her hair from dragging on the floor, but it let the hair stay long. After a final approving glance, she led Saithe to the throne room where she was being expected.

"Ah! Our young maiden in distress," the king said joyfully. "You look much better now. I'm glad you are safe."

"I'm glad I was able to make it here in time. I thought I was going to die," she said quietly. The room was filled with noblemen and noblewomen, but she did not care about them. She did notice a brown haired, blue-eyed man of medium build staring at her. He was wearing dark green clothes of royal standards. She judged that he must be Prince Jonas. She smiled at him and watched his eyes widen.

"Jonas! Quit staring at her! You are betrothed!" the king snapped. She giggled and batted her eyes at the Prince.  _Hell, I'll seduce him to break his heart!_

"But, Sire, is she not the fairest maiden you've ever seen?" Jonas asked. "Please, what is your name?"

"My name?" she crooned. "It's...Lilith."

The room gasped.

"Lilith? The same Lilith that Clyde spoke of when he trained here?" the prince asked. She nodded greatly.

"However, I s-saw him...killed," she said with a stammer. "He had just come home to claim me as his bride, and his head got lopped off by a demon!"

The room went into a flurry of angered exclamations. The king rose his hand and the room went quiet.

"He will be missed greatly. He was one of the greatest Knights here," the king sighed. "All of our Squires thought of him as a legend when he left our halls."

"Apparently, he was not great enough," she said sadly. She even let a tear fall from her cheek to make them think she missed the blond idiot. Her plan worked to perfection. The room rumbled louder.

"We will make sure that your safety is a direct order!" Jonas said.

"Miss Lilith," the healer said. "were you raped during your ordeal?"

"I...I was!" she said. "Why?"

"You may be pregnant with evil spawn," the healer said. The room went silent.

"Can you remove it?!" she asked. The healer shook his head.

"I tried and something repelled my magic. Apparently, only the same evil that gave you the child can remove it."

Jonas went white with fury. He vowed to help her in any way he could. Saithe was distraught.  _I don't want children!_  She was sure that Horny didn't, either.  _He'll have to help me remove the unwanted fetus._  She just trembled at how he would do it. Jonas saw her tremble and took it as a sure sign of fear.

"Please," Jonas said, as he stepped up to her. "let me escort you around the castle. I would enjoy showing you the grounds. If I may?"

"I would be honored," she said with a polite curtsy. She noticed that he took this time to study her ample cleavage, and she sneered to herself.  _Disgusting whelp! I'll have fun ripping out his heart!_

He smiled and offered his arm, which she took slowly. He began to give her a grand tour of the castle. She made note of every room and sent the shadows off with mental commands. The castle was well fortified except for the stable grounds and the servant rooms. The only reason was that they were near the middle of the castle. They were to be already well protected from attack.

"Then there is the dungeon," the prince grimaced. "We don't really use them anymore except for common thieves. Normally, a night there with the rats tends to turn their minds around fairly quickly."

"I can tell," she said. He looked at her in thought and took her up to the watch tower. The full splendor of the last rays of the setting sun turned her pale skin to a warm gold, and she shuddered at the horror of it.

"May I ask you something?" he asked.

"Surely."

"I have never fallen in love at first sight before. I can tell why Clyde did the same when he was younger."

"To tell the truth, I never loved him. He tried to rape me when I was a child."

"He what?!" he spat.

"Yes. I told him to leave me in peace, and he refused. I managed to flee from him, and I could never trust him again. I had actually refused his marriage proposal. He swore that he would do whatever he had to in order to keep me at his side. I felt like a...a common dog! I could never love someone who would treat me as such."

At first, he wasn't sure of her words. Then he saw how serious she was, and how her eyes clearly portrayed only the truth. He was outraged that the most honorable Knight that graced their halls would stoop to such discord over a woman.

"I would never hurt you," he said. She looked at him and smiled.

"I know you wouldn't. But, you should not waste your time with me. I need to sleep now. Fair thee well until morning," she said gracefully. He raised her hand and pressed it to his lips before releasing it.

"Have a good night," he smiled and watched her leave.

"How charming!" she sneered when she was away from him. "I'll tell my mate of this, and he will cut his lips off!"

She was hungry and found her way to the stables. When she was offered a place at the table earlier, she had declined saying she had a headache. She looked at the horses and sensed their fear. They knew what she was. They bucked with their ears back, and she made her way to the king's prized black charger. She grinned and revealed her fangs. She took the dress off carefully and walked around the stable. The horse whinnied loudly with fright and kicked the walls.

"Such a fighting spirit!" she breathed. She summoned a shadow, and it paralyzed the horse. She grinned at the trapped beast and walked into the stable. The massive horse trembled, as her hands touched the hide. She worked her hands around until she found the thunderous heart working. With a hiss, she ripped the horse open. The beast tried to scream in pain, but the shadow took away its voice. With agony, the horse died while she feasted on the heart. When she was done, she cleaned herself off in the horse trough and placed her dress back on. She let the shadows spirit her back into her room.

"That was yummy!" she grinned. She stretched and yawned. She shrieked when a massive hand clamped over her mouth, and another hand pulled her against a rock hard chest. Horny had found his way to her and had already removed his armor.

"What is this?!" he snarled with disgust at the dress. He ripped it off her and threw it on the ground. He studied her hair, and he undid the braid to let it go free. He looked at the large, soft bed and grumbled his disapproval. He saw the deerskin rug and grinned. He pushed her onto it and began to lower himself onto her.

"There is something...you must know," she gasped, as he licked her neck.

"What?" he rumbled.

"I'm pregnant!" she hissed. He got up slightly to look at her with shock.  _I got her with offspring?! That's impossible! And yet...no. We can't have offspring happen right now. It must be removed._

"They couldn't remove it?!" he snarled.

"Only you can. The healer tried, and his magic was repelled."

Horny thought and placed a hand on her belly. He felt his offspring moving silently, and he snarled. He clearly didn't want children yet, either.

"This is going to hurt. A lot!" he growled. She nodded and braced herself. He placed a finger into her and worked his whole hand in. She ground her teeth from the pain and seethed with anger. She felt him cut her womb open with a claw, and she gasped. Her body was trembling from the horrific pains, and he placed his free hand onto her to push her down. He ripped the fetus free from her womb and held it aloft. With a snarl, he focused on the fireplace, and it burst into flames. He threw the fetus into the fire and watched it burn.

When that was done, he licked his hand clean of her blood and saw her breathing heavily. He had an idea. He pulled her hips up to his face and forced his tongue in as deep as it would go. He heard her shriek with surprise, and he felt her arch away from him. His tongue had just breached the very insides of her ravaged womb, and he enjoyed the way she writhed away from him. A moment later, he retracted his tongue, and he shoved himself into her. She shrieked from another pain when he breached her womb again. He ravaged her body with his hands while he pummeled into her. She grabbed onto his horns and wrapped her legs around his waist. He felt her skulls pushing against his own two piercings, and he lost all forms of control.

He grunted at his release and collapsed onto her. She was breathing heavily again, and he licked her neck. The fiery seed he released into her made her feel like she was being ravaged by his hand all over again, and she had to keep from whimpering.

"Your shadows told me of a prince," he snarled. "He is in love with you?"

"I was hoping you'd help me rip him to pieces," she whispered. He grinned at the thought and nodded.  _It would be fun to do that._

"Actually, it would be more fun letting the Mistress torture him. If he converted, we could get him to slay his own father," he said aloud in thought.

"That would be very intriguing," she said in agreement. He smiled and began to lick the sweat off her body.

"We should attack now," he grunted.

"Actually, give it one more night. I just killed the king's prized war horse. I want the confusion to start before I kill the servants off," she mused. He looked at her and started laughing. He agreed. He was moving to take her again when he heard a hushed whisper. He snapped his head around to glare at the noise. A servant had entered the room silently to replace a candle and stared at the scene.

"Miss?" the man asked. When he saw her smile, he knew the truth. He ran to the door, but Horny's scythe cut him down easily. She pulled out the man's heart and feasted on it. The blood was licked off her quickly, and she heard him snarl.  _He didn't want to leave me again._

"You have to go back down," she urged. He snarled at the thought.

"You have no idea how badly I was suffering!" he grumbled. "Especially when that puny, impotent prince tried to court you..."

"Leave him to the Mistress," she smiled. "Tomorrow night, I will lead him here. Either that, or just watch from the shadows for the right moment. You can do all the convincing when he is in the right position."

He laughed again and gazed into her black eyes. He felt her tug on his horns, and he kissed her deeply. He wanted her again, but he knew it would have to wait. When she whispered her next plan to him, he started laughing.  _She was going to run about the castle in a night robe screaming that she was raped again._  He was grinning from the thought of it, and he stood up tall. He replaced his armor and nodded to her before he let the shadows take him back. She got up and put on a filmy night robe. She dipped the cloth in the servant's blood, and she smiled. Then she screamed horrifically.

The castle was a flurry of movement after that. They found her terrified and bunched up into a corner. They managed to learn that the demon had returned and removed her pregnancy in the most painful manner possible before raping her again. She told the guards that the servant was slain upon discovery before the demon left. Another bout of chaos occurred from the stables. The king was awakened to the news that his horse was dead and missing its heart.

"The demons are among us!" a servant cried. "They have come when the girl came to us! She should be destroyed!"

"You are talking nonsense!" Jonas snarled and shoved the servant away. The prince walked up to Saithe and tried to comfort her.

"I am not safe here!" she said with terror. "I need to flee! The servant is right! I'm just putting all of you in danger!"

"Nonsense! Come with me," he urged. She looked at him and swallowed before nodding. He took her into his bedroom and closed the door. He kept glancing at her body through the filmy shift and found himself burning with desire for her. At the gesture for her to rest in his bed with him, she seemed to glare at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked cautiously.

"I am going to keep you safe with me," he said. She saw him lick his lips quickly, and she knew exactly how he was planning to keep her safe.

"You are planning to rape me!" she said with pure fear.

"No! I would never do that!" he said. "Now, please, we must remove those blood stained garments! I'm sure you're feeling cold, too."

"No!" she shrieked. "I will not let you touch me!"

"I am not going to hurt you!" he growled and managed to pull the filmy fabric off. When he saw her pierced skulls and belly button, his mouth dropped with disbelief.

"As you can see, I am already claimed!" she said with a fanged smile. He watched her sprout her black wings, and her tail curved up her side. He went to move towards her with a dagger in his hand, but a shining curve of steel slid neatly around his neck. Horny grunted and grinned at her. He was watching in the shadows for this moment, and she was glad that he did.

"Now, young fool, you have some explaining to do as to why you tried to court my young bride!" he sneered. "If you lie, I will not hesitate to pull my scythe back and lop off your head like that of Clyde's!"

"You killed Sir Clyde?!" Jonas said with terror. "You cut down the mightiest swordsman that ever graced our halls?!"

"Oh, yes. Then his corpse graced our Graveyard for an army of undead to feast upon!" Horny grinned. "However, you have a choice."

"What?" Jonas asked.

"Join our legion, and you will live. You'll get paid, there are really no rules at how you live, and there is a Mistress you can even slap around."

"Never!" the prince cried. Horny hit him on the back of the head, and Jonas slumped to the ground.

"It won't matter," Horny shrugged. "You'll just be tortured into submission."

He kissed Saithe deeply once more before throwing the prince's body onto his shoulder. When he left, Saithe felt good. She finally felt like she accomplished something. She let her wings sink back down with her tail. She put her gown back on and ran back to her bedroom. She smiled and stretched with contentment. She could almost hear the screams of torment from the prince, and she grinned. She jumped into the large bed and fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

When she woke at long last, she found Jonas staring down at her.

"Good morning," he said with a smile. She noticed right then that he had turned sides. His face was pinched from the previous pains of torment, and she nodded.

"What are the plans for today?" she asked.

"Well, I was going to escort you to the servant rooms, and we would slaughter them all. There were a couple of young wenches I wouldn't mind to ravish, either."

"As long as it's them and not me!" she spat. He nodded. He had already learned that the hard way. He did gaze at her a moment longer and watched her remove the blood encrusted robe. He pointed her to the wardrobe and watched her dress. He still wanted her. She kept her hair undone and picked out a simple brown dress. She put it on, and he led her to the servant rooms. He knew it was late in the afternoon and some were still out and about.

"We should be back here in the dead of night. They'll be sleeping, and it will be faster," he said. She nodded, and he showed her a secret passage they could go through.

"You know, you could rule this castle in the name of all that is evil when you slay your father," she grinned. "You can torture your friends into submission, as well as any of those you know who hold massive power."

"I never thought of that. However, would you play the part as my queen?"

"No, but I'm sure the Mistress can."

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

"She's not that bad, is she?"

"Well, she's not as lovely as you. I can't see her sitting by my side."

"Aren't you betrothed?"

"The princess is a royal pain! I can't stand being in the same room with her!" he shuddered. "She's beautiful, but has no brains. You are beautiful and know how to fight back. I still can't believe you haven't fallen for my charms."

"Get used to it. Horny will kill you, besides the fact that you turned sides. He is known to slaughter friend and foe alike."

"Humph. He truly is the most evil creature I have ever encountered."

"You had better believe it!" Shade snorted, as he appeared. Jonas did a double take at the Shadow Demon, and her father grinned. He stretched his wings out and flexed his massive chest. The prince felt slightly envious, as his own chest was not as filled out. Shade shook his head and grinned. His hair resembled a black, cloak-like mass of spiked silk that reached the floor. He was able to pull his daughter close to give her a chaste hug. It was one of the rarest things he could do to her, but he knew she needed it.

"Greetings, Father," Saithe said. Jonas looked at her with surprise.

"Saithe, it is good to see you. Good thing Horny intervened before I did. Now, young prince, let me ask you a few things aside..."

She watched her father take the prince over to a wall to discuss some things with him. After a brief conversation, Shade nodded and vanished.

"He's going to set about with traps and illusions for the night guards," Jonas said.

"You should go to your father and let him know you are safe for now. I'm sure he is quite worried."

"Good idea. I'll let you explore," he said and walked off. She watched him leave, and she saw an open window turret. She leaned out of it and blinked back the sun's light. She preferred the darkness. She smiled and waved at a group of children. They waved back before going back to play. She grinned at the thought of their tiny bodies piled in a dead heap, and she giggled. She stretched and yawned. She was still sleepy. She decided to walk back to her room. She walked past the kitchen and stopped. A very interesting conversation was being said, and she decided to eavesdrop.

"She doesn't eat a thing!" a blond servant girl said to a brunette servant girl. "That girl hasn't let a single piece of food past her lips!"

"I wouldn't doubt if it was she who was eating the hearts!" the brunette servant girl shuddered. "Did you hear that, when Maven was found, his heart was missing?"

"The same with the royal charger, Kaiser. It's strange how she stays so pale! Do you think she's a demon?"

"Wouldn't you both like to find out?" Saithe grinned, as she entered the room. The servant girls looked at her with horror.

"Um...w-we..." the blond servant girl stammered. She smiled at the brunette and walked up to her. She winked at the blond.

"Don't worry. I won't tell," Saithe purred, as she stroked the young brunette's face. The blond was paralyzed with fear. She watched Saithe lock eyes with her friend before moving over to her and kissing her deeply. Then she gently stroked her body before hissing with anger. She watched Saithe rip out her friend's heart and devour it. The poor girl slumped over dead. Saithe licked herself clean and smiled with delight. Then the other girl started panicking when Saithe turned her black gaze over to her. She smiled seductively and put an iron hand on the back of the girl's neck. The girl's blond hair came loose from the bun, and Saithe saw fear in her brown eyes.

"I..." the girl panicked.

"We are going to take a little trip together," Saithe crooned and led her out of the kitchen. She dragged the girl into her bedchamber and locked the door.

"What are you going to do?" she whispered.

"Depends on how you cooperate," Saithe grinned with her fangs revealed. "Remove your garments. Now!"

"B-but..."

"My patience is wearing thin!" Saithe warned. The girl swallowed and removed her dress. Saithe let her gaze rake over the girl's young, budding body, and she grinned. Then she commanded, "Good. Now lie on the bed."

"I..." the girl shuddered, but did as she was told. She watched Saithe remove her dress, and her eyes widened at the sight of her wings stretching out. When she saw her tail slide along her waist she began to panic again. With a snarl, Saithe brought the girl's attention to her eyes. The girl stopped moving and felt herself sinking down into the depths of darkness.

"Now you won't know what is going to happen," Saithe murmured with a smile and began to climb onto the bed. The girl's heart was racing, and she gasped when Saithe's hands felt along her body. She felt Saithe kiss her deeply and began to respond to it when she pulled away. She shuddered when Saithe's tail began to rub along her skin like that of a snake, and she trembled when she felt lips kissing along her small breasts. She cried out when Saithe began to lick the heat between her thighs, and she convulsed from the sudden passion of it. She screamed when Saithe's tail shoved itself into her virgin body with a reckless fury.

"But...I..." the girl whimpered before crying out at the tail's violent twist in her to breach her uterus as though to claim her by full force.

"You will be my personal slave," Saithe crooned into the girl's ear. She clutched at her breast and sank her fangs into her nipple. The girl cried out and felt Saithe sucking hard on the blood that seeped out. Finally the girl cried out her fulfillment. Only after letting her rest for a moment did Saithe whisper, "What is your name?"

"Tally," she said weakly.

"Good. Now, I want you to dress and pretend that nothing has happened. You are to go back into the kitchen and prepare the corpse like it is to be the main course of a feast. When that is done, you are to come back to me."

"Yes," Tally whispered. Saithe kissed her again and released her. She knew Horny was going to be impressed at her new form of entertainment for him. She could already see it in his eyes. She yawned and decided to sleep. She folded her wings back into her back, and her tail vanished, as well. She stretched herself out and got under the covers. She closed her eyes and was out like the light that absorbed in her hair.


	11. Chapter 11

Shade was scouring the castle for secrets, and he came upon the castle Wizard's lab. He grinned and snuck around carefully. He was hoping to find some sort of spell to steal. Instead, he found the Wizard who first enchanted him.

"Ah! A shadow man!" the Wizard clucked. Shade snarled and tried to vanish out, but he failed miserably. The human was well versed with Shadow Demons. He shouted when the Wizard cast another charm spell on him.

"Fool...!" Shade seethed, but it was to no avail. He was enchanted again.

"This one is stronger! The only way it can be removed is if I'm dead! That won't happen anytime soon. Have fun!" the Wizard grinned and sent Shade away. Shade groaned and pressed his hands to his head. His eyes suddenly snapped open, and he grinned. He vanished and appeared next to Saithe's bed. He could see her nude body outlined by the pink silk, and he felt himself salivating over her.

"Horny won't mind if I have a taste of what he has," he mused. He lifted the covers and slipped in next to her.

"Ohhh..." she yawned and woke up. She was expecting to see Horny, but her eyes widened at the sight of her father.

"Good afternoon!" he grinned and tackled her. She screamed in anguish, but he overpowered her quickly. He held her hands above her head and shoved himself into her.

"NO!" she screamed, as he gasped from her heated fire. He saw the silver horned skulls on her nipples, and he couldn't help himself when he pressed his own chest to hers. She was still screaming protests when he found himself nearing his own fulfillment. As he was just on the brink of release, Horny came in from the shadows to pull Shade off her. He was a second too late. Shade became ethereal, and Horny's hand passed through him. Saithe was tainted and no longer completely under Horny's control.

"Horny! The Wizard in the lab did this to me!" Shade screeched, as he gained a second of control. "You have to kill him! He has me charmed, and the spell is tied to his life! I don't know if I'll do this again! You must hurry!"

Horny saw Saithe spewing out vile words of protest, but he knew Shade would never leave her at peace. He saw that Shade was under his own control right now and was trying to make desperate amends to Saithe. She hated him and looked at Horny with desperation. The red demon snarled with fury and vanished into the shadows. The shadows took him directly to the Wizard's entrance. He stormed in with his scythe ready. He started smashing potions to the ground, and his fire set them ablaze.

"What are you doing?!" the Wizard screamed. Then he saw Horny, and his mouth gaped. With a savage snarl, Horny ran towards the old man. The Wizard hurled ice spells, and Horny's natural heat dispelled them. The old man tried wind, but Horny just got pushed back a foot. When another spell was being cast, Horny split the man in half from the head down. The two halves fell to the ground in a sick thud, and Horny grinned. He did find an interesting spell book on his way out, and he picked it up. He'd have Shade look at it.  _The Shadow Demon should have his mind back. If he didn't, he'll be killed._ The shadows took Horny back to Saithe, and he found her huddled in the bed.

"Here," Horny growled, as he handed Shade the book he found.

"Thanks," Shade said dryly. "I had no control over what I did..."

"Shut up and get out of my sight before I change my mind!" Horny seethed. Shade bowed and vanished. Horny went right over to Saithe and sat down on the bed. He grunted with discomfort at how he sank into the soft material, but ignored it for the moment. He placed a hand into her hair and watched it sink into the solid black strands.

"Horny," she whispered. "he fouled me..."

"I know," he hissed and pulled her to him.

"There is a way I think I can be purified by you," she whispered. "I'm not sure, but I think I know how."

"Tell me!" he demanded.

"When you let me drink your blood in the Casino, I never felt so alive in my life! The booze didn't matter. It was your blood. Maybe, if I drank your blood, and you, in turn, drank mine, I would be purified?"

He thought and nodded silently. He offered his wrist to her and didn't wince when she sank her teeth into it. She drank deeply and felt aglow with power. She felt him lift her wrist up, and she shuddered when he sliced it open with a claw. He trembled when he sucked out the impurities put into her body and licked the wound closed when her blood tasted normal. She kissed his wrist closed, and they looked at each other.

"I am completely impure," he mused. "Now I know how to make you fully mine again. I am relieved at this."

"Yes, beloved," she whispered. He chuckled at what she called him and pulled her to his chest. He suddenly jerked himself up when the door opened. Tally had returned, as her chore was completed.

"Who the Hell are you?!" the demon seethed, but Saithe rose up her hand.

"Horny, this is Tally. She is my personal slave for the moment," Saithe grinned. Horny looked at her with disbelief. She told him of the supper she had Tally prepare, and Horny roared with laughter.

"I was hoping to attack before they supped, but now I am going to have to wait just to see their faces!" he laughed. He kissed Saithe and moved to take her, but she pushed him back.

"Let me...entertain you in a different fashion," Saithe winked. Horny looked at her a bit suspiciously, but he got off the bed at her whim. He saw her call to Tally and watched the girl shudder with nervousness. The girl removed her dress and crawled into the bed. Horny watched Saithe seduce her to a senseless pleasure, and he found himself getting horribly aroused. He saw that Saithe had herself on all fours and was licking the girl between her thighs.

He decided to take Saithe right there on the spot. He was far too aroused to fight the urge. Saithe gasped and had her tail plunge into the girl. Tally cried out at the sudden movement, and Saithe was screeching out her joy. Horny shoved himself deeply into Saithe and grabbed onto her hair. Saithe gasped, bucked back onto him, and shuddered when he penetrated her womb. One clawed hand gripped her shoulder to force her body to impale herself even further on his length.

Tally whined when Saithe's tail went deeper into her, and she arched her body. Saithe sunk her teeth into Tally's breast and sucked hard at the blood. Horny bent over Saithe's back and hissed in her ear. He began to massage her neck with his tongue and felt her push against him. He lost control of himself, and she felt his fire race through her just as Tally screamed out her completion. Saithe retracted her tail, and Horny pulled her into his lap. She rested happily against her mate, and the girl was now completely ignored. There was no more need for her.

"I must say, this is a  _very_  intriguing aspect you developed!" he grinned, as she rested her cheek against his breast. He glared at the now sleeping girl and looked at Saithe. She smiled and kissed him.

"I plan to have her disposed of when we have no need of her. I can find another fresh one and corrupt her, if I choose," Saithe shrugged. Horny chuckled and hugged her tightly.  _She was truly meant to be with me. She had a heart that was colder than ice, yet it melted only to my touch._ He grimaced when he realized it was the same thing for him.

"After the king and his men sup, our troops will be ready to dig up from the dungeons. We have already freed several Dark Knights that were captured, and they are eager to see blood. I will inform them of your wonderful meal plans, and I'm sure they will be more than happy to wait and see how the humans think of their dinner!"

"That is wonderful news. Now, you should go back to the shadows. I have some servants to kill," she grinned. He chuckled and kissed her before he got up. He stood up tall and fixed his belt before walking back into the shadows.

"Wake, Tally," Saithe whispered. The girl woke at her command and looked at her. Saithe told her to go to her servants' quarters and put a sleeping draught in the next tea drink they served to each other. Tally nodded and dressed. She left, and Saithe sat up with a smile. It would soon be time for the king's supper, and she grinned.  _I should wear something appropriate for the occasion._

She walked over to her wardrobe and sorted through the clothes. She found a gold dress with heavy green lace and shrugged. She put it on and found her cleavage once again horribly exposed. Scowling at the prince's fetish to see such a thing constantly, she seethed quietly to herself before pushing the thoughts aside. She decided to check up on Tally and proceeded to walk to the servant chambers. What she found was surprisingly gruesome.

The prince had already slaughtered the servants and was standing over Tally's dead body. He looked at Saithe and saw her look of disapproval. At this, he said, "What's the matter? I thought we were killing them all."

"You are so sloppy!" she hissed. "Tally was my personal servant! I ordered her to put a sleeping draught in their next batch of tea! She was going to serve her friend up as your father's supper! Don't you listen to the shadows?!"

"What?!" Jonas said with disbelief. "You mean to tell me that you had everything under control?"

"Well, gee, I have to wonder!" she snarled. "Is the cook still alive?"

"Yes."

"I will place the cook under my control and have supper served."

"Actually, I don't think you should be seen," the prince said casually. "I need to show you something."

She looked at him oddly, but followed him through a secret chamber that branched off the main hall. The shadows rushed about to report to Horny and Shade in an almost immediate flight. She felt relieved just knowing that they would be arriving quickly. She was led to a dark chamber that was soon alight with candles. A stone altar was in the middle of the room, and the prince gestured to it. She felt an awful sense of dread, and she backed away. The chamber was clearly old, but he had carefully restored it for his own uses. Then she noticed the rather fresh spots of blood that seemed to drip down the altar.  _He even did sacrifices here._  She doubted his father knew this.

"I don't trust this place," she said. He glanced at her irritably.

"Well, come on!" he said. "This is important!"

"No! I don't know what you are planning to pull, but I'll not be a part of it!" she hissed. His face darkened, and he grabbed her. She tried to summon the shadows, but the heavy candle glow kept her helpers back. She screamed her fury, as he managed to force her onto the altar with an almost supernatural strength. He got most of this strength from the altar. Him turning to evil made him even stronger. With his newly acquired brute strength, and the brightness of the candles around him, he easily overpowered her. He locked her arms and legs down quickly to the chains the altar held. He wiped his brow with a handkerchief and picked up a sacrificial dagger.

"Now, I denounce my evil nature and I will attempt to make you purified to the light!" he said with a grin. She fought against the bonds, but the steel held. The prince was, apparently, into the occult. He thought he was using the means for good, but this explained why he was so easy to turn. His soul was already damned for practicing it.

"You idiot! I was born evil! There is no chance in Hell that you'll make me purified by your putrid notions!" she snarled.

"You see, if I can't have you, I will kill you!" he chuckled and started chanting. The candles burned brighter and formed a circular shield around them. Now that he was back to the 'side of light', he was immune to the candle glow.  _It was another light shield._  She seethed with hatred. Horny jumped out of the shadows alone and brandished his scythe. Shade could not join him, since he was repelled by the strong light. The shielding was made to repel shadows, but not flesh-formed demons.

"I'm going to enjoy pulling the skin from your flesh!" Horny hissed.

"That's if you can get to me!" the prince said haughtily. He picked up his dagger and cut open Saithe's dress. She screamed and tried to twist herself, but it was to no avail. Horny bellowed and tried to cut at the shield. His scythe bounced off harmlessly.

"Horny!" she called to him helplessly. It enraged the demon.

"This shield is a pure act of light!" the prince shouted. Horny saw Jonas place himself over Saithe and his hatred grew by a tenfold. His yellow eyes burned like the color of smoldering sulfur, and he tried to attack one of the candles. His attack went true, and several candles extinguished. The only thing was that he had to work quickly. There were over a hundred candles there, and his scythe knocked out about ten at a time. Jonas was not paying attention. He was trying to purify Saithe with his own seed.

"This is a purification ritual?!" Saithe scowled. "It's an act out of lust!"

"My seed will purify!" Jonas vowed and slapped her across the face. Horny howled with rage and worked faster. Just as he cut down half the room, Jonas jumped off her. Saithe's face was a wrath of fury, and he saw she was still evil. Now the prince growled, "Well, if I can't have you, then none shall!"

He placed the sacrificial dagger over her heart and shoved it in to the hilt.

"NOOO!" Horny said with despair. Saithe surged with pain and screamed an unearthly scream. The whole room shook with it. She closed her eyes and fell silent. The prince smiled, but then it faded quickly. Horny chopped down all the candles. The shield was destroyed. Jonas swallowed and looked at the red demon. Horny narrowed his eyes and walked up to him with his anger knowing no boundaries. He pulled his lips back to reveal his glistening, sharp, yellow teeth, and he shook with fury.

"Um, can we talk?" Jonas said in a rushed voice. Horny said nothing, and he cut the prince down into pieces. When that was done, he rushed over to Saithe and pulled the dagger from her body. He removed the shackles and held her head up. Her eyes were closed as though she was sleeping, and her chest was not rising or falling. Horny did not speak, nor could he cry. Instead, his anger heated and exploded. He held her in his arms and howled his loudest yet. The sound shook the castle grounds and echoed up through the walls. The castle stood silent for a full minute before becoming a flurry of activity.

Horny brandished his scythe and saw nothing but blood before his eyes. He cut down friend and foe alike in his hatred and anger for anything living. Allies scattered before him, as he worked his way up to the main hall. The king and the royal court had already fled. Any humans left were maimed and left for dead. Horny snarled with an unholy rage and went down to the Keeper's realm to slaughter any that he saw.

Shade quickly walked up to the altar where Saithe's body lay. He studied her and realized the dagger had pierced the same exact spot that he had marked her when she was first born. Then he noticed something else.  _I recognize this dagger! It stores souls!_  He smiled.  _I can resurrect her. Her soul is simply stored away._  He took the dagger and placed his fingernail in the wound. He slid the dagger back into the wound and concentrated.  _Her spirit was definitely sucked up by the dagger._  He released it with a word of power and decided to keep the dagger.  _If it can suck up souls, it will be useful for the future._  He withdrew the dagger and placed it with the book.

He healed Saithe quickly and watched her jolt awake.

"Ha...Horny!" she cried out. Shade knelt down and took his daughter's hands in his. He quickly told her all that happened. She trembled.

"Let me purify you for Horny by draining the prince's essence from you," Shade said. "I can do it."

"No. I want Horny to," she said. He nodded and watched her get up. It took her a minute to right herself, but soon she was running after Horny.

"Good luck," Shade sighed and vanished to watch from afar where it was safe. He didn't want to become the subject of the demon's rage. Horny had just finished slaughtering the last of the Imps, as it was, and he was going for the Heart, itself. Just as he raised his scythe to attack, he was plucked and spirited to his chamber. He roared when he saw that Saithe's bed was gone, but the money was still there.

He fell to his knees and started punching at the floor. Huge gouges were left where his fist fell, and he howled again. Never before had he felt such rage at losing something!  _Saithe had become my focus. My will to live. And now she was gone._  He was so consumed by the raging anger that he never heard the door unlock and relock behind him. He didn't even hear the soft padding of steps to his side.

"Horny," Saithe whispered. He stopped with wide eyes at her voice and breathed heavily. He shook his head from the bloodlust daze he was in, and his body trembled.

"Saithe?! No, you're dead!" he growled.

"My Father revived me, Horny. I have Shadow Demon blood," she soothed. "I came straight to you."

"How do I know it's you? How do I know you are not some illusion to distort me?!" he snarled. Saithe walked up to him and placed her hands on his strong neck muscles. He gasped at the calm, yet shocking feeling her very touch gave him. She worked her way to the front of his face and forced him to look in her eyes. When he felt himself tumbling down into bliss, he knew in his heart that it was her. He was speechless as to what to say or do. She tugged his horns gently and kissed him deeply.

"I need you to purify me, Horny," she whispered.

"I held you, and you were not moving," he trembled. "You did not breathe, and you did not look at me..."

"I was gone, yes, I was," she whispered, as she stroked his face gently with the back of her index finger. "But, my Father found my spirit trapped in the blade and he released me. He told me of your anger, and now I know better than to piss you off."

"As if that would have stopped you, anyways," he growled. She smiled and offered her wrist. He looked at her again and used his scythe to slash his own wrist open. The moment she sank her teeth into his wound, he opened her wrist to feed. The blood he tasted was horribly foul, but he kept drinking. The moment her blood tasted fresh and new, he stopped. She was still drinking from him, and he didn't stop her.  _She was likely drained and hungry._  He used his scythe again to cut open a chicken. At the sight of the heart, she released his wrist and snatched it up.

He cut open more chickens for her, and she ate the hearts of all of them. When that was done, he was still confused as to what to do. He was still enraged at what happened. She focused on the ground, and another heart appeared. It covered up the gold again, but she made it different. She made the heart resemble a bed with enough blood in it to cover them.

"Take off your armor, Horny," she said. He grumbled and found himself removing it. She ordered him to lie down in the bed. He looked at her, but he nodded. The moment his back was covered in blood, she crawled on top of him and held him. At the very feel of her weight against him, any rage he had left finally melted away. A deep sigh of contentment was heard next when her scent filtered around him. Now he was able to think. His focus and will had returned.

"I have never realized how much I needed you," he muttered, as he placed his arms around her. "Never in my life have I felt so alone! It never bothered me before, but now I can't bear to see myself having nothing but an endless life of butchery."

"It actually sounds like a wonderful future," she grinned. He looked at her and chuckled. He felt her trace his black steel nipple rings and heard her sigh. At her grumble, he glanced down at her with amusement.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I want some body armor, too!" she growled. "I don't mind walking around nude, but sometimes it gets downright dull!"

"I like you nude!" he grinned.

"I know  _you_  do! Think about it," she said, as he hugged her tighter. "You do like ripping clothes off me, don't you?"

"Yes," he admitted.

"Then try to understand what I'm saying," she said. He started laughing. She gave him a dirty look, but then her face softened when he got serious.

"You have no idea what was running through my mind," he whispered. "You have no idea how badly I felt, because I couldn't stop that bastard...that  _human_...for doing what he did to you! I killed him in the end, but I felt cheated!"

"Was it because you couldn't stop him from...well..." she faltered.

"If you get raped once more, I will kill whoever did it, whether they are friend or not!" he slathered. "I will not rest until I know for a fact that—!"

He found himself silenced when she kissed him. He couldn't bring himself to push her away. He couldn't stop himself from slipping into her. He heard her gasp and watched her lift herself up to sit astride him. He placed his hands on her waist and smiled at the sight of blood dripping off her breasts. Her skull piercings seemed to wink with delight at it, and he watched the blood seep out from behind her belly piercing. He rubbed his hands along the sides of her waist, and he grunted when her tail grew out to wrap around his thigh. When she stretched her back, he growled, "No wings."

She looked at him and smiled. He pulled her down and rolled so that she was underneath him. He pushed himself into her even deeper and felt her body tremble. Before long, she had her legs wrapped around his waist, and they kissed again. He broke the kiss and began to lick her skin when she arched against him.

"Horny!" she cried. "P-please...don't stop!"

He was too happy to oblige. Before long, he heard her cry out, and he snarled at his own release. He felt her shudder when he poured himself into her, and he buried his face against her neck. She sighed and pressed her cheek against his.

"I'm not going to let you do anything without me," he muttered.

"Are you sure about that?" she winked.

"When it comes to letting you explore castles with princes, I am!"

"What if the castle had a princess? You heard the prince was betrothed, right?"

"Yes...he was...wasn't he?" he mused.

"If I corrupt the princess into loving me," she grinned. "it would be easy to get her to do anything for me."

"You mean for us?" he grinned back.

"So, you like my entertainments?"

"It's  _very_  addictive. I'm so glad I have you back!" he whispered.

"There is only one thing I want to do right now."

"What is it?"

"Hold me and don't let me go," she said, as she stroked his horns. "I want to sleep, and I want to make sure I see you when I wake up."

He looked at her and nodded slightly. He rolled onto his back again to let her rest on his chest. She put her cheek on his breast and listened to his strong heart beating. She sighed and closed her eyes. He felt her relax on him, and he began to stroke her hair. He snorted when he felt the blood drying on her skin, but he didn't care.  _She is alive and with me._  That's all that mattered to him. He heard her snore lightly, and he grinned. He had something to blackmail her with.

"Good to see you have come to your senses," Shade said, as he appeared next to the bed. "I'm glad I was able to get her back to you."

"Shut up!" Horny snarled. "She's asleep. What is it?"

"The shadows have reported that the king is setting up a camp not far from the castle," he said with a grin. "If we attack within the hour, we can have him killed. We can have Saithe go to the next kingdom and report the brutal attack. We would have the king's crown as proof."

"Hmm...not a bad plan. Does this next kingdom have a princess?"

"I don't know. I shall find out."

"Please do. I want to know all that I can. I refuse to let Saithe be torn from my sight! I want to know  _everything_  about this place before we let her go anywhere!"

"Of course," Shade nodded and vanished. Horny smiled slightly at the thought that he hadn't killed him.  _The Shadow Demon did have his strong points._  He looked down when Saithe mumbled in her sleep and clung to him tightly. When she began to mutter frantically, he realized that she was repeating her death.

"Saithe!" he whispered. He nudged her awake, and she jolted from it. She looked at him and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"I feel so terrified!" she whispered. "Am I going to constantly dream of that every time I sleep?!"

He squeezed her and thought hard. He looked at her and cupped her chin with his hand. She placed her hand over his and shuddered.

"I suppose I am going to have to sleep with you from now on," he shrugged. "Until we find a cure for your mental dreams, I will be more than happy to let you cling to me for support."

"Shows off my weakness?" she smiled.

"That and, if you snore again, I can wake you up to tease you about it!" he grinned. She dropped her mouth with astonishment, and he howled with laughter. She had no idea that she snored. She growled and went to hit him, but he clasped her to him instead. She struggled against him and scowled at his smile. When he went to trace her cheek with his finger, she snapped her teeth at him. He grinned and began to tease her with it.

"Oh, you're awake," Shade said, as he appeared. "Horny, the next castle does have a princess. We should ambush the king's party now. They are all napping."

"Very well, then," Horny grumbled. Saithe looked at him questionably, and Horny explained what Shade said earlier. She nodded.

"Actually, wouldn't it be better to have a little collection of crowns?" she asked.

"What for?" he asked.

"Why, to have our own private collection of places we conquered!" she grinned.

"Hmm...yes! That sounds wonderful! We should leave quickly, then!"

"Let me bathe first," she said. He held her down when she tried to move, and she looked at him questionably again. He glared at Shade, and her father made the point to leave. He vanished instantly.

"I want you to know something," Horny said. Saithe looked at him.

"What would that be?" she asked.

"I told you once before, and I'll tell you again," he said with his eyes narrowed. "I love you. I love only you, and you had better not forget it!"

"And you should know that I only love you, as well," she said with a smile. "I knew you loved me the first time you were going to hug me close without realizing it, and then you stopped yourself in mid-step. I knew you loved me when you first found yourself sinking into my eyes. I knew you loved me when we first kissed to distract Clyde. I knew you started to love me before you even saw me just by hearing of me from my Father's lips. You and I are destined. Nothing can tear us apart."

He said nothing. He knew she was not mocking him or teasing him. She was speaking only truth, and he had to think hard of what to say next.

"Whenever I gaze into your eyes, I can feel my soul releasing all anger and fear. I just exist. I feel no pain or danger. I don't even feel any lust or thought. I just feel...happy," he whispered. "Content."

"Do I really make you feel happy?" she asked.

"If you didn't, I would have slaughtered you a long time ago. You are the one that returns me to my senses. I feel in complete control of myself after I lose myself in your dark gaze, and it's as though the very weight of the world slips off my shoulders."

"Then gaze into my eyes and feel the true happiness you deserve," she whispered. When he felt himself slip away, she planted a kiss on his lips. His body shuddered with a pure, intense feeling of joy. He kissed her back in an urgent movement before forcing her to move off him. He got up, and they walked over to the door. _It was locked._

"The Keeper still doesn't trust me," he grinned. "I did try to attack the Heart after you were stolen from me."

"I shall make another door, then," she shrugged. He watched her eyes glitter in concentration and another section of the wall crumbled away. He chuckled and escorted her to the river. She had him climb in, as well, and he scowled at the feel of the clean water against his skin. The water hissed around him, and steam rose from the surface. She actually showed signs of intense relief at the heat.

"You like hot water?" he grinned.

"Yes, I do. It really relaxes me. Maybe you should bathe with me in the castle!" she grinned. "The water they give me gets cold too fast!"

"As long as the water does not smell of oils and roses, I'll be happy to," he said. They walked back to their room, and Horny put his armor back on. She scowled at him, and he grinned.  _She really did want her own battle armor._  He took her to the Workshop and let her describe what she wanted.

"I want a piece of black metal that can fit around my back to the front of my breasts, but not touch at the front. I just want it to cup over my breasts. I want holes to be in the very front of them so my skulls can show. I want a chain-link attachment over my waist with a piece of metal dangling between my legs in the front and back. I want a horned skull with fangs on the front below my belly button ring.

"For the sides of my legs, I want armor that fits like coiled stripes. As for shoes, I will take spiked heels with horned, fanged skulls on the front. They should start from my knee and fit down to my toes. I think it would be fitting! What do you think?"

"Very nice!" he nodded. "However, I shall make you wear a circlet with the same stone pendant I wear around my neck. You will also wear a necklace and earrings with the same stone."

"Hold on," she said. "You mean like pierced ears?"

"Yes," he nodded. She looked at him skeptically, and he grinned. He walked up to her and pinched the bottom of her pointed ears. She hissed at the brief pain, but found them pierced. He had given her the black earrings with the polished bloodstones set in the center. He nodded his approval and watched a new Troll enter the room. The Troll gasped with fear, but it soon vanished into a toothy grin when Horny spoke to him sharply. The Troll looked at Saithe and got to work.

Within several minutes she had what she wanted. Horny grinned at her. He definitely approved. He made fists with his hands and opened them to reveal the bloodstones. The Troll took these and fastened them into the circlet and the necklace. Saithe put these on and looked at her reflection in the dull glaze of the anvil. She couldn't see very clearly, but she knew she looked totally evil and loved the thrill of it. She grew out her wings, and her tail lashed with defiance.

"Should my onyx be a bloodstone, too? Maybe the silver skulls turn black?"

"Hmm...the silver skulls should stay, but let's make the belly piercing black with a bloodstone," he grumbled. He changed the belly piercing and the stone. He looked at her, and he nodded with satisfaction. She looked at Horny and smiled coldly.

"Shall we go hunting for royal hearts?" she asked with a fanged smile.

"Yes. Let's go hunting for the human whelp's father that let his son slaughter you before!" he said with burning yellow eyes. Saithe walked up to him and let her hand slide over his chest with affection before summoning the shadows to be taken to their destination.


	12. Chapter 12

The two of them were taken to the outskirts of the camp. The fire was dimmed to nothing, and they were eager for blood. Horny let Saithe kiss him deeply before she walked into the king's hut. She woke him with a snarl.

"What?!" the king said, as he jolted awake. When he looked at her, his mouth dropped with shock.

"Greetings, you're Majesty," she said in a mocking tone. "You should listen to your servants. They speak more truth than any nobleman these days."

"Lilith?! What is the meaning of this?" he asked, as he sat up.

"My name was always Saithe. Not Lilith," she grinned. When he got a closer look at her, he paled with fright. His sword was in the corner of the tent with his armor. He could not reach them. He knew his servants always insisted he keep them close, but then he realized that he had them close at one point. The shadows moved his weapons and armor away from his immediate reach.

"What do you want?" he asked in his most regal manner.

"I want from you what I want from any human. I want your heart!" she snarled, as her eyes locked with his. He fought against the sensation of slipping into unconsciousness, but his spirit was weakened from the previous attacks on his castle. He was powerless, and she knew it. Horny came in and watched her rip the king's heart out from his chest. She sank her teeth into it, and Horny lopped off the king's head. The royal crown tumbled to the ground, and he picked it up with a savage grin. He gave it to Shade, and the Shadow Demon nodded.  _It would be the first of many._

"Too easy!" Horny snorted. "The rest of the caravan is dead. How did his heart taste? I want to know."

"Mmm," she said with satisfaction, as she licked her fingers. "That was delicious! Oh, here. I saved a piece for you. So, all are dead?"

"Yes. The others are slaughtered," he said, as he took the piece of heart from her to eat. "It was easier than killing chickens!"

"Wait...the shadows tell me a horsed rider left an hour ago to warn the other kingdom!" she snarled. "He wasn't with the caravan! At least it takes a whole day's travel, so he has a long ride ahead of him. I shall have to enter the castle a different way. Maybe I can use the princess's dreams?"

"You mean, make her dream of you coming to make her think she has future sight?" he grinned. "It is an interesting notion!"

"However, the surrounding villages need to be destroyed first," Shade said.

"No!" Horny growled. "We go for the prize! When the castle is destroyed, the villages will crumble around it!"

"He's right, Father. We can use the princess to raise taxes and kill unmercifully. Send shadows to the castle to find out more about her. We can use her own weaknesses against her," Saithe said. Shade thought and smiled.  _My daughter was right._ When Shade did that, Horny placed his hand on Saithe's hip and drew her close.

"Hmm. I remember seeing something," Horny mused.

"What is it?" she asked. He smiled and led her over to a different tent. There were several treasure chests within it.

"Shall we open them?" he grinned. She nodded, and the locks on the chests crumbled under her gaze. What they found were the usual gold coins and treasures, but she found one treasure that was definitely different from the rest. She pulled out a small harp and found it to be made of silver. The design was simple, and, when she plucked the strings, the most beautiful sound ebbed from it.

"This will be mine," Saithe said with a smile. "I believe this was to be a gift for the princess. I don't think she'll need it now."

Horny grinned, but then he paused and his smile faded. Saithe began to pluck the strings again and started to sing. Her voice was a haunting melody that burned a fierce fire in his soul yet made him want to melt with desire for her.

"You have a Siren's voice!" he gasped. "I believe I know how you can seduce the princess to her grave."

"Indeed?" she crooned. She looked so elegant with the silver harp on her knee and looking up at him with her perfect face that he had to catch his breath.  _She was, indeed, the most beautiful creature that ever walked the earth._  He ground his teeth when he knew that he was going to be the one creature that would kill anything to protect her. She gave him a puzzled look, but she smiled when he shrugged it off.

"We must head back. I'm sure the Keeper will be anxious to move his Heart to a closer location of our next target," Horny said.

"I just got some news in from the shadows," Shade said. Horny looked at him.

"What is it, Father?" she asked.

"The princess has an older brother," Shade replied. Horny spat.

"Maybe I can make the princess seduce her brother," Saithe said aloud. Horny looked at her and found himself grinning. Shade laughed wildly at the thought and sent out more shadows to track down the prince. Saithe ordered some shadows of her own to collect the treasure chests and take them to her lair.

"As for us," Horny said with a smile. He scooped up Saithe and let the shadows take them to their lair. Horny secured what was left of the gold and her harp onto his back. As to how he managed to do that, Saithe had no clue. A moment later, there was a slight earthquake, and they found themselves by the Keeper's Heart. No rooms were made, but the Imps started to work on them. Saithe growled.

"This is taking too long!" she hissed and concentrated. The walls crumbled down into perfect rooms so the Imps did not have to dig. They could focus on fixing the walls. Horny looked at her with surprise. She cut her wrist open and let her blood flow into the Heart. More Imps appeared and started working. Right before Saithe felt like passing out, Horny picked her up and licked her wound closed. He nuzzled her neck and decided to explore with her. He carried her around the new dungeon and found their room. It was much larger now, and he smiled when his throne appeared. There was even a small river next to the room, and a door was set up for them to use to reach it. He set down the gold and the harp to sit with Saithe in his lap.

"You waste your blood," he growled, as he cut his wrist open. He pressed her lips to his wound, and she instinctively bit down. He rubbed his hand along her skin while she fed, and he paused over her belly. She stopped feeding when he let out a sharp snarl.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I feel...another offspring!" he grumbled. She cursed under her breath, and he looked at her. He lifted her metal flap up and slid his hand between her legs. He felt her stiffen up to brace herself, and he stopped.

"How on earth do I get pregnant so fast?!" she growled.

"It must be my seed. Whenever you ovulate, it reacts," he said, as he growled in thought. She watched him and saw he wasn't proceeding to remove the fetus.

"Aren't you going to remove it?" she asked.

"I...I'm not sure if I want to remove this one," he admitted. She looked at him with wide eyes.

"But, Horny, I can't have children right now! We must wait until we are sure no humans are going to be a threat to them!"

"You're right," he said and narrowed his eyes. "Bite down on my wrist as hard as you like. I remember how this pained you before."

She nodded and sank her teeth into his wrist again. He found himself wincing slightly at how she chewed on his flesh. By the time he wrenched his hand out from her with the fetus, he saw his wrist was practically mangled. He couldn't believe what she did to him. She was trembling horribly and watched him set the fetus aflame. She opened her wrist again and let her blood heal his wrist. He licked her wound closed again and pulled her head onto his chest.

"I'm surprised I didn't chew your wrist off!" she sighed.

"You do know that you are the only one allowed to mangle me, right?"

"Of course, I am! You are the only one allowed to do this type of stuff to me. I am your woman. I don't like to share myself with anyone that I don't approve of. Don't look at me like that!" she growled at his stare. "I mean with servant girls!"

"Ah! Yes, that is a bit more like it," he grinned. "However, would you mind if I had some fun with them, too?"

"NO!" she snapped. "You belong to me, as I belong to you! If any girl even looks at you with any kind of lust, I want you to look into their eyes. If you sink in their gaze like mine, kill them. If you still feel angry or any sort of emotion, kill them!"

"So, I'm to be on a leash with you?" he grinned.

"The moment you let me be with someone of my choosing is the same moment I let you be with one of your choosing."

"I can't stand the thought of anyone else taking you, other than myself!" he snorted. She looked at him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"That's the way it should be," she smiled. He lost himself in her gaze and kissed her deeply. He doubted that there was another girl in the world that had the type of gaze that she did. He knew long ago that she was the one suited for him and none other would do.  _She would kill any girl who would dare to try to be with me._  For some reason, he felt great comfort in that fact.

"Saithe," Shade said, as he appeared. "you may want to read this book that Horny found. It is rather interesting."

"Really?" Saithe said with a smile. "Give it here, then!"

"Of course," Shade said and handed the black leather book to her. He vanished so she could read the pages.

"What is it?" he asked.

"This book tells me how to raise the dead through an erotic dance!" she grinned. "Okay...swing hips here...step over here...Horny, watch this and tell me what you think. You might be impressed."

"Will you raise any dead?"

"No. It can only happen in a graveyard," she said, as she jumped off his lap. He got comfortable and smiled. He loved to watch her dance. She began with her arms over her head and her wings outstretched. Her tail curved around her waist with seduction. She moved her hips to an invisible beat, and the rest of her body followed. He was completely enthralled in her, and his yellow eyes burned with desire. When she finished, she was on the ground with her knees touching the floor and bent backwards like an arch. He took that moment to remove his belt and crawl onto her. She gasped when he licked her neck. "Horny! I-I guess you liked it?"

He growled his response and sat up with her in his lap. He pushed her breastplate down to lick her, and he rumbled when she tugged on his horns. She was too much for him at the time, and he squeezed her tightly at his release. She shuddered horribly, since she was still sore from her abortion. He sat up with his knees underneath him and her legs around his waist. He decided to find out why she shuddered so much afterwards.

"Do I hurt you?" he asked.

"No," she said weakly, as she rested on his chest. "You don't."

"Then why did you shudder like that?!" he demanded.

"It's your seed."

"My what?"

"When you release your seed into me, it feels like fire coursing through my veins. Since you had just taken your offspring from me, the fire you gave me shook my insides. You didn't know, did you?"

"No, I didn't," he admitted. "The pain isn't that bad, though?"

"No. Most of the time I love it," she grinned and kissed him. He was thinking when he suddenly looked at her. She had tugged on his nose ring.

"Do that again, and I'll put one in your nose!" he rumbled.

"A nose piercing? Now isn't that an intriguing thought!" she grinned. "Of course, it would have to wait. I don't want any humans looking at my face and find your brand on it. It would give me away."

"True. I think you have enough piercings, as it is," he said, as he licked up her neck. "Make a bed so we can hide our treasures."

"Do we ever plan to use them?"

"Possibly for bribery," he said. Then he grinned evilly.

"What?" she said with a smile.

"Humans love bribes...don't they?" he thought. "Especially thieves...I'll have Shade hire a stalker for our princess. She, in turn, will want to hire a mercenary. You!"

"That makes sense. Evil to hunt evil...her payment to me will be her soul!" she laughed, and he laughed with her. Shadows appeared in the room and told her information which she relayed to him. She closed her eyes in a trance-like state.

"Ah. The report. What did you learn?" he asked lightly.

"Princess's name is Birma...short with long, curly blond hair and blue eyes...she loves frilled dresses and slightly fat from food. The prince is named Ermit...blond hair and blue eyes...stocky build, but also short...loves hunting and eating."

"Hmm...are they twins?" he asked.

"Yes!" she grinned. "Her brother is the elder."

"What of their fears?"

"Birma fears all the things a gently reared girl would fear, which are anything out of the ordinary. Ermit only fears...undead!" she said with a grin.

"Any dangers we should know of?"

"A Priest who has the power to resurrect anything, including himself."

"So, if we can't beat him or torture him?"

"We will use the dagger the other prince used on Saithe," Shade said, as he appeared. "It will suck up his soul when put in his body."

"What we could do is place his body in our Prison after he dies by the dagger and resurrect him there," Saithe pointed out. "Then we could torture him, as needed."

"You are too intelligent!" Shade grunted.

"You know, I think that comes from my Mother's side," she sighed. He looked at her with pure frustration.

"Shade, you never did tell me of her mother," Horny mused. Saithe paled and stood up. She shuddered and walked over to a corner.

"Her mother is not worth speaking of," Shade said.

"Nonsense," he snorted. "Saithe, was your mother a Siren or a Succubus?"

"Neither," she whispered with hatred. "She was...human."

"WHAT?!" Horny said with disbelief.

"Actually, that's not true," Shade said. Saithe looked at him with a strange look in her eyes. Horny glared at both of them.

"Your mother was actually a Harpy turned human by her own clan," he explained. "She was given amnesia so she always thought she was human. Haven't you noticed that, whenever she went to the privy, her leavings were more than that of a human?"

"Yeah...you're right!" she said with relief. "And she always said she had dreams of flying around, I think. So, I'm part Shadow Demon and part Harpy?!"

"Yes. You are one hundred percent evil!" he said with a nod. "That was why the other men in the village avoided her. She gave off an odor of something different, and they always noticed something about her that they hated."

"But, if her mother was a Harpy, Saithe would have been born ugly!" Horny argued. Saithe frowned and watched her father intently.

"Her mother was actually Amnora, the only beautiful Harpy that was currently in their existence. The others felt she was to be an outcast. So, they ripped her wings off her back and gave her the permanent illusion to be human. I keep her soul with me so she cannot be reborn. It was as I told her when I confronted her when she wanted a child. Her soul would be with me for all eternity."

"That explains partly as to how Saithe has her wings," Horny mused. "No, wait...you have the same wings that she does! Must be the ears, then."

"Wait a minute..." Saithe said with a thought. "if Mother was a Harpy, I should be able to grow out a set of eagle wings, right?"

"I don't see why not. It is how you got your pointed ears and your tail," Shade said. "Some Harpies had whip-like tails, and others had feathered ones. My ears are round. Practically all Harpy ears were pointed."

"Watch this," she said with a cold smile. Her wings and tail shrunk back in to let a set of gold colored wings rise from her back. They had large feathers and were twice as large as her bat wings. She did not grow out a tail with these wings, but that seemed to suffice for what she had planned. Her ears remained pointed, but her hair could cover them up nicely.

"What's your point?" Shade said.

"If you get me a white gown and a gold circlet, I can be the angel that is supposed to save the kingdom!" she grinned. Horny was rolling on the floor howling his laughter. Shade was no better, as he was leaning against the wall for support.  _The plan was too perfect. She would be known as the 'Angel of Light' in this disguise. The town would not even suspect it was in any kind of danger until she changed into her battle armor._

"We would have to put an illusion on your hair and eyes," Shade said after recovering. "However, only true evil will see you as you really are."

"Perfect. Give me white hair and eyes to be the opposite. That way the humans think I'm there from the light, itself!" she grinned. Horny was too weak from laughter to stand, and he was pounding his fist into the ground. Shade went into another bout of laughter and nodded with enthusiasm.  _I would appear in the princess's dreams and tell her that a mercenary would help her remove the stalker from her sight. I'll use the harp and my voice to capture the prince in his dreams and whisper of delightful things the princess wanted to do to him._  More of the plan was forming in her mind, and she couldn't wait to test them out. She knew the plan may not go completely as it formed, but it was close to what she wanted.

"We shall get to work the moment the princess falls asleep!" Horny grinned. Saithe smiled and walked over to him, as Shade vanished. He was still on all fours on the ground from his laughter. Horny felt her hands roam along his back and up to the sides of his face. He bore a massive smile, and they kissed deeply. He let her hands wander over his body down to his member, and he growled at her.

"You know," she whispered. "all this work has made me...very horny!"

"I see," he grinned. "Make your bed, and I'll make sure my name will no longer be your mood!"

She smiled, and her bed appeared over the treasure. He carried her over to it and removed her armor along with the rest of his. He placed her in the blood and pressed himself onto her. She yawned and stretched beneath him.

"I suppose there is more to me than we both thought?" she asked with a grin. He studied her bloodied eagle wings and began to caress her skin with his hands.

"In that case, I'll be more than happy to rediscover you!" he snarled, as he began to lick her skin. All that she could remember after she lay on his chest and in his arms was that he  _was_  incredibly thorough! She knew he was the only one destined for her, and that he would protect her like the whirlwind of death that he was. She heard him start to snore, and she yawned. She relaxed and fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Shade approached the tavern late at night. He was garbed in his small, robed disguise again and found the nastiest thief he could sense in his immediate area. The human eagerly agreed to kill the princess at the sight of the gold coins that jingled in Shade's hands. He paid the human half for now. The rest would be paid after the deed was done. He smirked since he knew it would never happen.

"Too easy!" Shade said with a grin, as he vanished. "Saithe, I leave it in your spiteful hands now. Make us proud!"

She appeared in the castle courtyard with her silver harp in hand. She was dressed in white silk with her now silver hair flowing down to the ground. Her eyes were tinted a blinding white, and her golden wings folded down her back. Her gold circlet twinkled from the diamonds that were set within it, and she sat down on the side of the massive courtyard fountain. The entire castle was asleep. She focused on the two royal chambers and began to sing.

The prince woke to the melody first and rushed to his window. When he saw the angelic creature singing while playing the silver harp, he made a sign of the cross and bolted down the steps to meet her. When the princess woke, she could not believe her eyes, either. She ran down the steps to meet Saithe as well. They both approached her cautiously. The prince saw her as the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life. There was no doubt in his mind that he saw an angel before him. The princess was definitely jealous at Saithe's beauty, but she had the dignity to remember this was an angel and not a living creature.

"Greetings, children," Saithe whispered amidst her harp playing. "I am sorry to have awakened you. It is not often that I come down to the very earth to play."

"Your music is as lovely as you are," the prince said.

"Thank you," Saithe breathed. "Tell me. What are your names?"

"My name is Ermit," the prince said.

"Mine is Birma," the princess said. Saithe had to keep from laughing.  _They both sounded alike with baritone voices._

"What is your name?" Ermit asked.

"My name is...not important at this time. We angels try to keep our names from being known," she whispered with a soft smile. "Birma, I have seen the future, and yours is grieving to me."

"How?!" the princess asked.

"A thief is going to stalk you and try to kill you. However, there is a traveling mercenary that will stop by the inn tomorrow night at dusk. She may appear evil, for that is what she is. She bears my likeness and will gladly kill the stalker for a price. Just be warned. Her prices exceed those of normal standards."

"What of my future?" Ermit asked.

"As for yours," Saithe whispered and looked into his eyes. "it depends on how you treat the mercenary. If you treat her with respect, good things may follow. Just be known that she does have a guardian that appears at random to make sure she is safe. He is just as evil her. Do be wary."

"But, to have someone evil enter the castle," the princess gasped.

"Evil can hunt evil," she smiled. "Remember that. I must leave now. I have remained here for far too long."

"Wait!" the prince gasped. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Just listen for my harp, young one. As long as your heart beats in your chest, all you need to do is listen for my harp," Saithe whispered, as she tucked the silver harp away. She beat her wings and took off into the night sky.

"I'm going to find her again," Ermit vowed. "If the mercenary bears her likeness, then maybe it is she, herself! She's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen! To have her as a possible queen at my side...I will do whatever I can!"

"But, you heard she has a guardian!" Birma argued.

"Then I shall attempt to slay her guardian!" he growled, as he stormed back up to his room to plot. Birma ran up to her room for fear that the stalker was close, and she called the royal guards around her. She would have to wait for the mercenary, and she sent a messenger to wait by the tavern when the destined time came around.

The prince heard rumors of a black-haired girl that brought ruin to the kingdom not far down from his own, but lust had taken control of his mind. He wanted the mercenary girl when he saw her. Something told him that this was the same girl being spoken of, but he didn't care. He would do anything to be with her. He sent orders to the castle guard not to harm her if she appeared. When the messenger from the other kingdom came up to him to intercept his decision, the prince frowned.

"I have come to warn you! You know not what you are doing!" the messenger said. "Please heed my warning!"

"I know what I'm doing. I saw a vision from an angel. I did not see a vision of evil!" the prince growled. "My sister's life is in danger, and, if an evil girl is what it takes to kill an evil thief, then so be it!"

"B-but!" the messenger stammered then sighed. "Then this kingdom may be ruined as well! No matter. I shall flee to the next one! I will continue to spread the word for as long as my life depends on it!"

"Do as you wish," the prince said with an uncaring gesture. None knew that once the messenger left the castle, Saithe had slaughtered him and left him to rot. Shade had dragged the body over to the castle hounds, and the dogs feasted on the corpse with glee. It also gave them a taste for human flesh. Shadows started sending messages about where hidden traps and walls were. They were very efficient.

Saithe appeared at the tavern wearing all black leather the next day at sunset. Several daggers were strapped along her hips. Her battle armor was stored elsewhere for now. She had just sat at the bar when the castle messenger approached her slowly. The young man realized that the other ruthless men seemed to shy from her. They sensed her horrifically evil presence and knew that, if they messed with her, they were as good as dead. The mere glare she gave them also proved just that.

"Ah, are you a mercenary?" he said nervously. He was always rather nervous around beautiful women, but this one made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Saithe looked at him and hissed. He trembled under her glare.

"What of it?" she asked carelessly. He was surprised at the light tone she used.

"Um, your presence is requested at the castle right away!" he said. "All prices will be paid for your services."

"Really?" she purred. "In that case, lead away."

The messenger wiped his brow with a handkerchief and led her straight to the princess. Birma studied her and realized she looked almost exactly like the angel. The only difference was the hair and eyes. Saithe noticed that she was led to the princess's bedchamber. That had her bite back a laugh.  _No other guards were here! She clearly does not know how to protect herself, does she? She should have met with me in a throne room with her brother, but this will only make it easier._  Birma told the messenger to leave shortly after and regained her small bit of courage to speak.

"You are the mercenary?" the princess asked hesitantly.

"What do you require my services for?" Saithe asked.

"Well," Birma said stiffly. "I am being stalked."

"Any proof?"

"None save that of an angel's vision."

"I see. You do know that my fee is rather...costly," Saithe grinned.

"I know. Any price will be paid."

"Even your soul?"

"What? I am afraid I did not hear you correctly."

"Money is not an option to me. I deal with souls. I will only help you if you become my personal slave and do as I wish."

"What?! Impossible!"

"Fine. Let the stalker slit your throat. I'm leaving," she said with a yawn.

"No! Wait!" Birma pleaded. "I...I'll do it!"

"Really?" she grinned. Birma gasped at Saithe's fanged smile.

"Um...yes," she said weakly. Saithe nodded.

"I must take my payment up front," Saithe said. Birma looked at her with fear.

"What are you going to do?" she asked. Saithe locked eyes with the princess, and the girl's blue eyes got sucked into the bottomless gaze. The princess was paralyzed. Saithe noticed she was wearing a rather large pink gown and grinned at a wicked idea. She went behind Birma and let her hands feel along the slight cleavage. She had to stifle her laughter that the girl had padding in her bust line.  _She had literally no cleavage at all._

"Do you like this, little princess?" Saithe growled in a husky tone.

"Huh? N-no!" Birma said. "This...isn't part of...the deal...!"

"You are mine now, princess," Saithe purred. "Nothing you say or do can stop it. If you try anything, you will die by my hand."

"I..." Birma faltered. Saithe turned Birma's head and kissed her deeply.  _The girl likely was sheltered from such pleasure. That was quick to change._ She began to groan when Saithe let her hands wander again. As she lifted her skirts up to reach the princess, the door rattled. Saithe hid herself neatly under Birma's massive train.

"Tell the guard to leave!" she hissed, as she began to lick between the girl's thighs. The princess nearly doubled over from the unknown pleasure.

"A-all is well!" Birma called out. "I am d-discussing negotiation with the m-mercenary! I am unharmed!"

The person at the door left. Saithe let Birma stagger over to her chair to lean on while she worked on her. Saithe let her tail grow out, and it shoved itself cruelly into the princess. She was about to scream, but a shadow was summoned to mute her. Saithe worked her hands up through the gown to squeeze Birma's breasts, and the princess gasped. Finally she cried out her fulfillment. Saithe gave her one last lick, as her tail extracted itself, and she rolled out from under the gown.

"Now," Saithe said. "for tonight, you will sleep soundly. I shall take care of your stalker. Understood?"

Birma nodded without hesitation. She had the princess undress and lie in the bed. She was about to leave, but she decided not to. She played with her new slave again. When the princess was dressed in a light gown and snoring peacefully, Saithe began to hunt for the thief. She used her night vision easily and found him sneaking along the window to her room. She grinned.  _The fool had climbed the wall by at least three stories._ She grew out her demon wings and flew over to him. She hovered and hissed to get his attention.

"H-huh?!" he said, as he clung to the wall. She grinned before letting out a howl of fury. The thief screamed and released the wall. He fell to his death. Saithe purred with satisfaction. Her part of the "bargain" was done. _Now it was time to play._  She flew over to the prince's window and crept in. He was snoring loudly in his bed, and she smirked. The shadows told her the king had died in a battle several years ago and was buried in the castle crypt. The peasant's graveyard overlooked it. She would have fun letting the prince meet his father again.

Her father had found a special pouch that can keep a limited amount of items in it for recent uses when they ransacked the prior castle's treasury. Saithe had quickly found an excellent use for it. She crept up to the prince's bed and removed her leather garments. She changed her wings back to the feathered gold ones and put on her angel disguise. She pulled out her harp and sat by the open window. She chanted the illusion for her hair and eyes, as she smiled.  _This would be too easy._ She decided to sit at the open window in case she had to take flight. She began to sing and play.

The prince woke slowly and looked over at the window. At the sight of her, he bolted from his bed.

"Angel!" he whispered. "Please, tell me! Why are you here?"

"Why am I here?" she whispered with a gentle smile. "Don't we all ask that question once in a while?"

"Well, I have never seen anything as lovely as you!" he said.

"Oh, you haven't? What of the mercenary?"

"I have not seen her yet. I was hoping she could dine with us come breakfast."

"Unfortunately, her nature is evil, as I have told you before. She can only dine at night, and, even then, she has rather strange eating habits."

"Tell me what she eats, so I can serve her every desire!" he begged. When he saw the angel's eyes pierce his, he could have sworn they began to tug at the very fire of his soul. He averted his gaze. It unnerved him that such an angel could look into his very core and be able to see his faults.

"She can only consume hearts that have been freshly pulled out of living corpses. Be it animal or human," she said calmly. The prince's skin chilled to the bone.  _This mercenary was, indeed, very evil._

"Why do you tell me of this mercenary?" he asked suddenly. Saithe smiled.

"Why do you tell me I am the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" she asked back with a purr. "I tell you these things so you know how to protect yourself. I am life. She is death. I cannot be touched. She can be touched."

"If she can be touched, can she be loved?"

"Only her guardian loves her, and she loves him back. There is no other option. She loves only he."

"If I slay the guardian?"

"She shall slay you."

"I see..." the prince went silent. When he went up to the angel to touch her, Saithe summoned the shadows. They made her transparent to his touch.

"You are a fool to try and touch me!" she moaned and stopped playing with an abrupt twang of her harp. "Now I know I can't come back!"

"No! Please don't go!" he cried.

"I'm sorry, young prince. I cannot stay any longer," she whispered in a sorrowed tone. It worked like a charm.

"Let me make amends!" he cried again. "I'll do anything!"

"Anything?" she asked dangerously. "Then there is one thing you must do."

"What?" he asked. He had started to sweat, and he wiped off his forehead.

"The mercenary has fouled your sister in a horrific manner in exchange for her payment in slaying the stalker. You must purify your sister."

"What?!" the prince hissed. "How must I purify her?!"

"You must lay with her in her bed and take her as though she was your wife. Your seed will make her pure."

The prince looked at her in shock. Never in his life had he heard of such a thing.

"I can't do that!" he spat. "That in itself is impure!"

"Then your sister will die," she frowned. "and your sin with me cannot be forgiven. I must go. Do as you please about your sister's fate."

He watched the angel take flight and vanish into the night. He scowled and looked at the ground.  _I can't sleep with my sister! It was blasphemous! Yet, my sister is now tainted with evil, and I have to help her._  He sighed and nodded to himself. He went to his sister's bedchambers.

Saithe flew quickly to Birma's room and changed into her mercenary disguise. She woke the princess and told her what her brother was going to do. Birma paled with fright and disgust, but she could do nothing. She belonged to Saithe now. Saithe ordered her back to sleep, and she slipped into the shadows. As she watched for the prince, a muscular chest pushed against her back. She relaxed against her mate with comfort.

"Tell me everything!" Horny grinned. Saithe smiled, as the shadows hid them and kept them muted to the world. She explained what she did, and he laughed hard.  _She had ordered the princess to be completely submissive with the prince. She would do anything he asked and anything he told her._ Horny put his arms around Saithe and smiled. When she looked for his scythe, she saw he had fashioned a sling to hang it on his back. He was going to wait with her.

Several minutes later, Ermit entered the room slowly. He glanced around nervously and removed his clothes. He slipped into his sister's bed and woke her.

"Birma," he said. She opened her eyes and looked at him. She acted startled, but listened to his rushed whisper. She was confused, but then she understood. Saithe and Horny smiled at each other. The prince moved himself over his sister and began to take her. Horny grinned evilly and picked Saithe up into his arms.  _She had done well._

"Now, while he tries and fails to purify her, I want you all to myself," he grumbled. "I get tired of watching everything that happens."

"Actually, why don't I raise the dead? This way the army can start forming, and they can hide in the catacombs of the castle," she suggested. He looked at her and nodded. He gave a sadistic laugh and hugged her.

"You know, you are sort of scary when it comes to setting traps," he grinned. "I believe I am starting to love the way you think!"

"I do believe that's because I hang around you too much. Do you think you're rubbing off on me?"

"If I am, then let it continue! I never had this much diabolical fun in ages!"

"Please, tell me how old you are."

"Hmm?" he asked. "How old am I?"

"Yes. You know I'm eighteen. How old are you?" she asked, as she ran her hands along his chest. He grunted at the gesture and thought.

"I lost count after two thousand," he muttered. She looked at him with surprise.

"I can't even tell you look that old! You look great in your current condition."

"Well, I'm a demon. I'm not supposed to age when I reach my prime. I don't even think I was born. I think I just exist."

"Pretty strange how you give me offspring, then, isn't it?" she asked.

"You are right, in that aspect. I've had hundreds of females, and you are the only one I can ever remember being able to get pregnant."

"Think it's a sign?" she whispered.

"I think, after the next kingdom we conquer, I might actually want a little version of myself to beat up on," he mused.

"So, you are saying that you want a family?" she asked. He looked at her skeptically and grinned.

"I suppose so," he admitted.

"You're getting a little soft."

"I just think a few changes can happen in the future," he said gruffly.

"Oh?" she smiled, as he picked her up and set her on his shoulder. "I thought you didn't like any changes."

"Sometimes a change can be tolerated."

"Like your new emotions?" she grinned.

"You are the  _only_  one that I am ever able to express my emotions to."

"I know it. And, you know that you are the only one with me."

"Good. That's the way it should be," he snorted. He carried her over to the graveyard, but he didn't release her right away. He let her slide down just enough for him to hold her at eye level, and they both gazed out at the murky setting before them. The graves were nothing more than wood planks standing from the ground. Some were tilted from the rot beneath them. Many had their words stripped off from the weather. When he walked with her between the graves in the hollowed earth, they were both pleased by the stench of death. He noticed the stone crypt in the middle of the graveyard, and they descended.

He smiled at the noxious fog that rose from the ground almost immediately. This place was more to his liking. He carried her to the royal tomb that held the king, and he flipped the massive stone lid up with a single hand. The rotting stench of the body overwhelmed any living creature in a five foot radius. He grinned.

"There is a story here of how the king died," she said, as she looked at the discarded lid. He approached it with her.

"Really? Read it to me. Maybe we can raise his enemy, too."

"Apparently, he died slaying a mighty dragon. What a poor creature!" she sighed. "From what it says here, the dragon was solid black and completely evil. You know, it would be nice to have an undead dragon to ride on."

"That would be very nice to add to our undead army as a backup. And a black dragon? Hmm. Something about that feels...familiar to me. Anyways, does it say where the dragon is located?"

"You are going to laugh!" she grinned.

"Don't tell me...they buried it under the king's tomb, right?"

"Even better!" she grinned. "It's under the castle! They built the castle over the dragon's lair!"

He howled with laughter at the thought of the undead dragon finding a home on its lair and ripping the castle to pieces with fury. He hugged her tightly before releasing her to dance. He found an old stone chair and sat in it to watch.

She removed her clothes and armor to stand nude. She wanted to see his face as she performed intricate positions for him. She never truly showed him what the dance was like, as she had just given him a slight peek. The moment she began to hum a tune to dance to, the fog thickened around her.

He watched her with awe and utter bewilderment, as she twirled in different directions. His eyes were locked on her curves, and he began to clench his hands into fists with desire. Then he looked up and saw the skeletal king rising. Along the wall, other dead noblemen and women started to rise and dance with her in a shuffling movement. More zombies came crawling in from the graveyard just to see her with rotting eyes. The dance was so powerful that it affected the entire area.

When she finished her dance, the room was filled with the rotting husks of bodies. The stench was clearly overwhelming, but she managed to clench her jaw to see to it that her task got finished. She saw that Horny was biding his time, as well. She smiled and opened her wrist. She placed a single drop of blood on each corpse. The droplet soaked into the flesh and bone of the corpse quickly without a trace. Horny watched with surprise, as the zombies became lifelike. They regained their voices and organs intact. They even had a full set of white teeth and body hair.  _They looked like they were alive again._  The smell of death had even faded away to nothing. The zombies stared at Saithe with a purpose.

"Mistress, what will we do?" a reformed zombie asked.

"This is what is going to happen," she said with a smile, as she licked her wrist closed. "Any family members that you corpses had in life will be revisited. If new grief is opened, the living will be slaughtered and brought to me. I will revive them, and they shall serve with their kin."

"That way they will be together in another life?" Horny said with a grin. He looked over at the king and was amazed that the very fire of life appeared to glow in the zombie's blue eyes. Long blond hair was recovered on the king's head, and his white garment was even restored to new. When Horny looked around, he saw that the clothing on all the corpses had been restored.  _It was as though Saithe's blood restored lost time._

"Hand me your crown," she said. The king nodded and gave her the exquisitely made gold crown. Shade appeared in the chamber and looked around with appreciation. Horny looked at the crown and handed it to Shade. When Shade vanished, Horny stretched and yawned. Saithe pondered as to what to do next. She looked at the king's lid from his tomb and looked at the zombie.

"Lead me to the dragon, king," Saithe whispered. The king nodded and shouted a command to his new troops.

"I have one request," the king said, as he turned back to her.

"A request from one that is summoned?" she mused. "What is it?"

"I need a horse to ride on in battle. The shadows tell me of a charger that died in the stable just a while ago. It was my steed in life."

"Bring me the horse, and I will give it life," she said. He nodded and ordered an undead stable boy to drag the body over to her. Without a word, the boy ran off. Within the hour, the king had his charger back. The horse had a hide that almost resembled burnished gold. It was a very valuable steed on its own. Saithe replaced her armor and clothing quickly. Horny picked her up again, and they followed the king to a hidden chamber that led under the castle. When they came to the dragon's lair, she realized why the castle was built over it.

 _The lair was filled with untold wealth._  The king told her that, with the castle built over it, they could use the gold as they saw fit. The lair was like a vault and guarded jealously. She smiled with Horny, and they knew where their new home was going to be.

"You will be my queen," Horny whispered to her.

"And you my king with a dragon as our guardian! The undead will be our servants, and we shall rule with absolute cruelty!" she grinned. They kissed, and he released her. She approached the dragon's corpse and gasped. It was so immense that it could easily fill the chamber they were in. She returned to Horny, and he held her.

"Make a tunnel leading out of this cavern!" Saithe commanded. "I don't want to hurt the castle above, but I want the dragon to be able to come and go from here as needed! Make sure the tunnel leads away from the village!"

The zombies nodded as one and began to dig. The shadows told of where weak spots were that were closest to the surface while the zombies dug. The work was done rather quickly, and Saithe looked at the dragon's corpse.  _It had been dead for nearly half a century, but is fairly well preserved._  Even Horny rose a brow at the corpse. Then he gave a slight grin. He knew the dragon was familiar to him. She hopped out of Horny's embrace and stood in front of the dragon's head. She let several drops of her blood splash onto the mummified head. The scales reformed in a fast wave down to the tip of the tail. They shone like black onyx stones, and the wings were folded gently against the body. She began to dance in front of the dragon's mouth, and she caressed its muzzle. Red eyes blinked open, and the body moved.

" _Who woke me?!_ " the dragon hissed intricately, as it stretched. It seemed to have a rather intricate voice, despite the mouthful of fangs.

"I, Saithe, have awoken you. I offer you a chance at vengeance in exchange for your cooperation," she said silkily.

" _So you say,_ " the dragon snorted and looked around. When it saw the king, it instinctively reared to attack.

"Hold!" she said. "Smell the human and think before you strike!"

The dragon blinked at her, but sniffed deeply.

" _My killer is dead? I am dead?!_ " it said baffled.

"Yes, you had died. I resurrected you to help me battle for the cause of evil."

" _Long have I awaited this night. Tell me what I must do for vengeance!_ "

"First, I need your name," she said.

" _Shadowsbane. I was male in life. I should still be_ ," he said.

"This is my mate, Horny. He is a Horned Reaper," Saithe said, as Horny came up to the dragon. The two looked at each other, and Horny smiled.

"It has been quite a while. I knew I recognized you from somewhere," Horny said with a grin. "I wondered what happened to you."

" _Indeed it has, Reaper. So, you have claimed a mate at long last?_ "

"Keep quiet, or I'll make you into my new suit of armor!" he snarled.

" _Haven't changed a bit. That's good news at least_ ," he snorted.

"Listen, you two! I'm not going to babysit!" Saithe growled. She told Shadowsbane what she had in mind to do with the castle. The dragon agreed readily.  _The castle would make an accurate headquarters, and the Keeper could even place his Heart in the middle of the room._  At that note, the air shifted, and a fierce pounding was heard. The conversation was dully noted.

"Our gold!" she hissed.

"Don't worry," Shade said, as he appeared. "The shadows have it and will give it back when your room is rebuilt."

"Zombies! Help the Imps dig!" she ordered. New chambers were constructed from the dragon's old ones. As they reached a large chamber, the Imps found a surprise. They brought several dragon eggs to her feet. They almost resembled black onyx oval stones to show what type of eggs they were.

" _They survived this long!_ " the dragon said with relief. " _I was afraid they were destroyed! They must have been dormant all these years._ "

"Eh?" Horny asked.

" _I found a female of my kind. We were together, if briefly. She was killed by a Knight when she was protecting these eggs. I brought them to my lair and hid them. They should be hatching soon._ "

"So, you are not fully dead," Saithe said. "When should they be hatching?"

" _Hopefully within a year_ ," he replied.

"Hmm...sounds like the same time I want Saithe to raise my young," Horny said. "We shall plan to raise both kin together. It will strengthen our cause."

"The shadows give word that the prince has finished his deed," Shade said with a grin. "He is puzzled as to what to do now."

"Let me talk to him as a mercenary. Everything is coming to plan nicely down here," she said. "He is far too easy to break."

"The moment you come back, I'll keep you busy with something else!" Horny vowed. Saithe kissed him deeply and let the shadows spirit her to the front of the princess's room. She opened the door and smirked at the sight.

Ermit was sitting on the bed and looking at his sister. He had just developed a fetish for her. Birma was looking back at him with a blush before turning over to sleep. She bolted upright at Saithe entering her room.

"Did I interrupt something?" she sneered. Ermit looked at her with wide eyes. It was his first time seeing her, and he had no clue as to how closely she resembled the angel. Saithe glared at him, and he felt his soul sucked down into a vast void that he felt he could not escape from. When she looked away, he shook his head from the sensation.

"You fouled my sister, and I purified her!" he snapped. "With that I must ask you to dine with me tomorrow night!"

"Do you know what I eat, prince?" she asked. Birma looked at her and shuddered. Saithe grinned.

"Hearts cut from animals," he said. Saithe nodded.

"Very well, then. It will be a full moon tomorrow night. Be sure the hearts are fresh. Any kind will do," she said. She watched the prince dress and noticed how his gaze never left her until he left the room.

"Now, little princess," Saithe smiled. "it is time to entertain a guest!"

Horny walked out of the shadows and Birma gasped.

"I...I don't know if I..." she cringed.

"Be silent!" she hissed. Birma quieted quickly. Saithe tore the bed sheets off and ripped the nightgown off the princess. She removed her own garments and crawled into the bed. Horny grinned and bolted the door with a heavy table. When he turned, he already saw Saithe licking the princess. Horny snorted and removed his belt. Birma gasped when she saw Horny's length, and Saithe chuckled. "The beast belongs to me, princess. He will not touch you."

Birma appeared to sigh with relief, but gasped as Saithe's tail entered her deeply. She gasped again when Saithe bit down on her breast and sucked at her nipple hard. Saithe groaned when Horny claimed her, but then looked up when her father appeared.

"I know of a better way to silence our princess," he grinned and exposed himself. Saithe and Horny grinned with approval. The princess found her mouth full of Shade's length and was finding it hard to believe that she was in an orgy of evil. Saithe made another bite on Birma's other breast and began to suckle with haste. Horny was relentless in his mood for lust, and Shade was no better. The princess tried to cry out when Saithe's tail breached her uterus, but was quickly choked off. Several minutes later, the four of them climaxed with an intense wave. Shade smiled and vanished. Saithe retracted her tail, and the princess began to sleep again.

"That was fun!" Horny grinned and licked her neck.

"I know it was," Saithe whispered, as she relaxed onto him.

"Of course, I'm still not satisfied!" he growled, as he laid Saithe on the floor.

"You're not serious!" she said with surprise. He relaxed his full weight on her.

"Oh, but I am!" he grinned. "The door is bolted down, and the victims are all asleep. Why wouldn't I?"

She was ready to say more, but his intense licking silenced her. Then he got up on all fours and had her do the same. She gasped when he took her and started licking her back. His hands easily reached her breasts and started tugging at her nipple piercings. She arched her head back and felt him licking her neck. When she tried to move, he snarled at her and worked faster. She screamed when he finally bucked hard into her. His heat filled her and spread throughout her body as quickly as he released it. They both collapsed to the floor, and he pulled her on top of him.

"Now what?" she asked.

"For once, I'm not sure," he muttered. "All I know is that I've never been so happy in my life. You are like a drug, and I can't keep you away."

"Actually, why don't you take care of that Priest? The last thing we need is him snooping around the catacombs."

"You're right!" he growled. "Shade! Where are you?"

"I am here," Shade said. "Let me guess...the Priest?"

"Maybe you should ignore the shadows long enough for me to tell you what to do!" Horny growled. "Get lost!"

Shade grinned and vanished. Horny muttered, but found himself looking up into Saithe's gaze. Her hair draped over him like a blanket once again. He felt himself lost in her dark eyes, and he responded to her kiss like a madman. He rolled her underneath him and refused to release her. He loved pinning her down beneath him. They never heard the hidden side door creak open to the bedchamber.

"Demon!" the prince screamed. He had decided to go back to check on his sister and to see if the mercenary was still there. When he found the main door to her chamber bolted down, he suspected the worst and went through a hidden passageway. Horny looked up with a horrific snarl.

"Fool prince!" Saithe hissed. "Leave now before he slaughters you! Your sister will not be hurt while I'm here!"

"This...this...thing...is your guardian?!" the prince said with wide eyes.

"This thing is the love my soul churns for! This thing is my life!" Saithe spat.

"Human..." Horny said with his eyes glowing furiously. Ermit backed up fearfully. He began to panic. His eyes strayed to the giant sickle that lay within the demon's grasp.

"Will he let you dine with me?" the prince asked.

"He will as long as you do nothing to hurt me," Saithe said with spite. Horny hissed and began to get up to stand. The prince bolted from the room. He growled with frustration and anger, as he lay back down on Saithe.

"Stupid mortal!" Horny snarled. "I'll kill him!"

"Later, darling, later," Saithe said with a purr. Horny glared at her, but he realized he lost the fight when she glared back.

"I swear, if you were in a Torture Chamber..." he rumbled, as she kissed him again. She ran her hands over his waist and up his sides. He growled in the kiss and rolled so that she was on top of him again. After another minute, he pushed her away gently. He wanted to get slightly intimate with her in another way.

"What is it?" she asked. He looked at her and placed his hand on her cheek.

"You know, you  _are_  the most beautiful creature that  _I've_  ever seen," he grunted.

"Are you serious?" she asked skeptically.

"Have I ever lied to you?" he asked. "I may have beaten you and abused you, but I have no reason to lie. Unless, of course, it's to someone I hate."

She giggled at that and rested her cheek against the base of his neck.

"The first time I saw you, I thought you were the most terrifying creature I've ever seen in my life. I didn't know if you were going to kill me or going to ignore me. I never expected for you to love me. That was the last thought on my mind."

"Humph. I could have done both of your first choices. Love was the last thing on my mind, as well," he sighed. "I want you to drink from me."

"But, I have no need to."

"I want you to."

"If you insist. Give me your wrist."

"No. My neck is where you shall take your nourishment."

"What?!" she asked, as she lifted herself up to look at him.

"Something in my gut tells me that you should do this," he said sternly. She blinked her eyes slowly at him, and he relaxed. He felt her lean down and start to gently kiss around the base of his neck. When she found a pulse, she sank her teeth into the strong muscle, and she was startled when he shuddered. He felt himself sink into a lull of relaxation, and he began to think of certain situations.

_It was strange to be lying on the ground with a female I actually loved to pieces. The sensation is strange, yet horrifyingly frightening. Of course, I do love the way her body moves on mine, and I know that nothing will be able to tear her away from me. Yet, it's easy to remember when life was so simple when I was alone. There were many times in the night that I would stay awake and listen to the restless stir of Imps fixing damaged walls and tunneling through new halls. I never really needed to sleep, but it was nice to do when I had the chance. And then, when I woke up the night before with Saithe in my arms, it was surprising to find her breathing to be so soothing to me. I actually fell back to sleep for the first time in ages._

He remembered how the first prince killed her, and he trembled with rage.  _I refuse to let that happen again. I had never felt so desperately alone in my entire life._  He remembered the grief and rage he felt when he saw only his throne in the lair.  _I have never felt so much anger that I had failed to protect her!_ Then he realized why he wanted a family.  _If she did become lost to me again with no way of resurrection, I needed to have something that was a part of her._  Of course, he would make sure that she came to no harm in the future, but he had just realized how much she really meant to him.

"Horny," she breathed. He looked at her. Her lips were smeared with his blood, but he was surprised to find tears on her face.

"Why are you crying?!" he asked with shock.

"Your thoughts...I heard them..." she whispered. He was speechless. She licked her lips clean and kissed him as deeply as she could. He shuddered when the kiss began to turn into something else. Normally he would despise such a thing, but he felt that this one moment was worthy. He actually groaned when she reached up and grabbed his horns. He wanted her, but in a much different way. When he turned to have her underneath him again, he began to take her slowly and gently.

She was shocked of his mood, but then she realized he wasn't just taking her like he normally did.  _He was making love to me._  This was a slow, gentle slide into some sort of fiery oblivion that she had undeniably craved. She had never imagined that he could be like this. After an hour, they finished with a climax so great it left them breathless. He couldn't trust himself to stand much less talk, and he rolled to hug her to his chest. All that they could do was hold each other. She rubbed her hands along his heated skin, and he sighed with his arms locked around her.

"So, you read my thoughts when you drank from my neck?" he asked lazily.

"I did," she said. "Maybe, if I am unconscious, you can do the same to me?"

"That is an intriguing thought. Hopefully the situation won't come to that, but, if it does, I will take it into consideration."

"To learn what happened to me?"

"Of course. That way I'll know how to make you well, and I'll know who to kill!" he grinned. She smiled, and they kissed once more before separating long enough to dress. He grabbed her rear, and she growled at him. He chuckled and breathed deeply. They both decided to go back to their lair and call it a day.


	14. Chapter 14

Shade watched the Priest from the safety of the shadows. He had watched the human for the past several hours just to make sure he would have no harm done to him. At the stroke of midnight, he grinned. He materialized and walked forward.

The Priest was meditating by a clear pool of water he collected in a basin. He was trying to recharge some of his strength. He was healing the minds of peasants who believed they saw undead in the graveyard.

"There are no undead in the graveyard," he muttered. "I sensed nothing out of the ordinary! Everything was perfectly fine."

"Ah, but that was above ground!" Shade sneered. "Can you sense below ground? Are you even capable of doing that?"

The Priest looked up at the demon with an astonished look.

"I...I was wondering why the peasants were claimed ill when I found no illness!"

"Gee, I wonder!" Shade said sarcastically. "Now, you have a choice."

"I will not join the likes of evil!" the Priest scowled. "If you try to kill me, I'll resurrect myself! I know just how to deal with the likes of the shadow!"

Shade growled when a light shield was chanted. An electric glow of light appeared on the Priest's skin, and Shade instinctively drew away from him.

"Light shield...hmm..." the Shadow Demon thought. Then he had an idea.

"The dark cannot touch me!"

"How about an object made from light that is now used for darkness?" Shade sneered. He withdrew the sacrificial dagger. The Priest recognized it and cowered.

"That blade! It can't be! It was given as a gift to our neighboring king for a betrothal! Even then, they knew that it was not to be used!"

"Well, guess what? That kingdom is destroyed! Did you know that the prince has actually used this dagger?"

"What?! No! Impossible! Anyone who uses that dagger is evil!"

"Oh, yes. He was evil, but then he turned back to the light. Then he used it to kill my daughter!" Shade snarled.

"The blade can only hold one soul at a time!" the Priest argued.

"I resurrected her without a problem!" he grinned. The Priest turned to run, and Shade threw the dagger.

"No!" the Priest screamed, as the dagger hit dead on. The light shield faded the moment the human's soul was sucked into the blade. Shade grinned and picked up the corpse.

"Now, you see, you have no choice," he muttered, as he vanished with the body. He dropped the Priest off in a Prison and placed the soul back into the body. The Priest woke with a start at where he was.

"Ah!" he cried, as he found himself among evil creatures.

"Have a pleasant night," Shade grinned, as the Priest vanished to be tortured. Shade found his way to Saithe's lair and stopped in thought. Horny had her locked in a tight embrace, and they were sleeping in her crippled heart bed.

" _Who are you?!_ " Shadowsbane hissed behind Shade. The demon turned around and bowed with a form respect.

"I am Shade, Saithe's sire. I see that you have seen me, even though I am cloaked in shadows. You are well versed in our ways."

" _I am the black dragon, Shadowsbane. I, myself, live in the shadows._ "

"Yet, your name suggests that you kill shadows. Ironic, isn't it?"

" _I know. I don't really care,_ " the dragon snorted. " _You should not be here._ "

"Why are you so protective?" Shade countered.

" _I am protecting the one that gave me life again. You should be thankful I did not wake Horny when I had the chance._ "

"Very well, then. You've made your point. What do you propose we do?"

" _I suggest you start having the few zombie guards that we have to start infiltrating the catacombs. There is easy access to the catacombs by having the Imps dig a hole to the right of the main feeding chamber._ "

"I see. They shall get to work immediately."

" _I shall scour the air above the castle and see how many humans we are dealing with. Sometimes just by looking at things at a different perspective can help us win the odds. Weaknesses can be exploited._ "

"I have wings, as well. I'll join you in the sky later."

The dragon rumbled and walked out of the tunnel. The walls were already smoothing nicely from the rubbing of dragon scales. Shade sighed and decided to do as the dragon suggested.


	15. Chapter 15

It was finally sunset, and Ermit could hardly wait. He had two massive cow hearts on a platter, but he had a third one specially made. One cow was given poisons to make it fall unconscious. He was hoping the drugs would affect Saithe. He had this heart go on the very bottom of the platter bowl so nothing would appear out of the ordinary. He had already bid his sister good night, and he ended up staying in her bedroom a little more than he would have liked. It was then that he realized that Saithe had corrupted him, as well.

"We shall see how she likes her supper," he growled. "Maybe I am corrupted enough to be with her?"

He sent a servant to scour the castle for Saithe. After an hour, she appeared in her black leather finery and snarled.

"What is it, prince?" she hissed.

"I have personally prepared your meal," he said, as he bowed to her. She saw the hearts and smiled slightly. She saw the prince was having the usual meats and breads.

"You will not share the same meal as myself?" she asked.

"Ah, unfortunately, I do not like the taste of raw meat," he said. She snorted, but sat down in the chair he offered. She smirked at the offered eating utensils and waved them aside. He winced when she picked up the first heart with her fingers and bit down hard. He tried to eat, but was nearly overwhelmed with illness when he saw blood spill down her chin and back on her plate. If anything, he was glad he went with a plate more like a bowl to keep the excess blood contained to keep from spilling.

The crunching of hard muscle and the sight of the strong chambers being torn open almost did him in, too. She was enjoying her meal and his discomfort rather immensely. When she reached the final heart, she pushed the plate away. She did clean herself up with a napkin out of spite and sat back with a smile.

"You are not finished!" he said. "Surely you have room for one more?"

"Oh, but I am so full!" she said. "I cannot eat another bite! If you wanted me to eat everything, then you shouldn't have given me so much."

"You don't understand! If the servants see what you have eaten, then they may uproar against me!" he whispered. She smiled at his pity.

"Why is it so important for me to eat every piece on my plate? I shall save it for a later time. I do get hungry later, too, you know."

"But, it is considered rudeness to not eat the last morsel!" he argued. She growled and looked at the heart on her bowl-like plate. She began to play with it by poking it with a fork. She loved making him angry! Ermit was getting frustrated. He decided to act desperate by begging, "Please! I insist you eat it before my servants find out what I'm hosting in my walls! I cannot let my people find out the truth about you!"

She grumbled and took a savage bite out of the heart in a form of rage. As the blood spilled down her throat, she realized what the heart was.

"You fool!" she gasped, as the drugs took control of her. She tried to spit out the meat to fight the drugs, but found herself falling unconscious. Her body slumped back in the chair, and she let out one sorrowful sigh before breathing evenly.

"Now, my beautiful mercenary, we shall see if the demon will render you over to me!" he whispered and kissed her cheek. He picked her up carefully in his arms and took her into the one room he knew that could contain her. He opened the door to an old torture chamber and bound her to a rack. She began to regain consciousness, but she fell back into darkness when he chanted soft words over her face. When the spell took hold, he smiled and said, "Only a kiss from my lips on yours will wake you. I shall wake you when I am victorious!"

The prince grinned and stepped into a corner to hide. An hour went by with no response. Finally, he came back out and cut a small wound on her neck with a nearby dagger. When he hid again, an instant reaction came to pass.

Horny jumped out of the shadows with rage. He felt the small pinprick on Saithe's neck and realized that his blood had practically made her one with him. When he saw where she was, he was livid, but he had to ensure that she was still alive. He approached Saithe cautiously and placed a hand on her breast. He felt her heart beating and sighed with relief. The moment his tongue touched the wound on her neck to lick it closed, he heard her frantic thoughts. He stood up with a snarl and whirled to meet the prince. His scythe was readied in his hands as quickly as he turned.

"You would dare to tear Saithe from me?!" he snarled.

"I am claiming her from you!" Ermit said valiantly. "I don't care if she is evil! I am a lover of beauty, and I shall have her as my queen!"

"Lover of beauty, eh? How about a lover of kin?!" he grinned.

"Why, you...!" the prince blustered and pulled out his sword.

"Bring it on!" Horny snarled and swiped his scythe in the air.

"I'll have you know that I'm second to Clyde the Great!" the prince boasted.

"And, I'll have you know that I slew him as easily as cutting out hearts from chickens!" Horny growled. The prince paled.

"How...?" he started.

"I killed your frail sister's betrothed, and I destroyed the kingdom after that! Now, I shall destroy you!"

"NO!" a third voice shouted with command. They both turned at the noise. Ermit paled even further at the sight of his own father glaring at him. Horny grinned and stood up tall. He decided to see what would happen.

"Father?!" the prince said with disbelief. "You're dead!"

"How can I be dead when I am here?!" he snapped. "You never loved me!"

"What?"

"You never paid your respects when they were due!"

"You can't be my Father!" the prince hissed.

"Then fight me! If you win, then you'll know I'm not your father!" the king taunted. The prince looked back between Horny and the undead king. He attacked the king. Just as he was about to clash swords with his father, Horny struck out with his scythe and beheaded the prince.

"Pathetic!" Horny growled.

"I could have killed him," the king said.

"But you didn't, now did you?" Horny scowled. "I don't want that idiot brought back, anyways. Why don't you pay your respects to your daughter?"

The king laughed evilly and nodded. Then he thought and asked, "What should I do when I finish visiting her?"

"Don't feel bad if you kill her. She is of no use to us now. Saithe and I are your masters, and that princess is a waste of space," Horny said with a shrug. The king laughed again and walked off. Horny picked up the slack jawed skull of the prince and pressed the dead lips against Saithe's lips. The moment her eyes snapped open, he threw the head aside. She spat out the piece of drugged heart that was still in her mouth and trembled with relief.

"Horny!" she said with a smile. He snorted and ripped off her bonds. She hugged him tightly, and he made a half-hearted growl.

"New rule! No more dining with princes!" he snapped.

"Whatever you wish!" she breathed. He smiled and carried her to the throne room. The undead had already killed the living, and Saithe escaped Horny to raise the new dead. The princess and her brother were burned in a pit with others they did not deem worthy to raise. They changed the castle colors to black and red. The new castle image was a horned skull with fangs.


	16. Chapter 16

The undead were able to work in the daylight and helped elude any traveler that came to the town. Of course, they were slaughtered on sight, but that didn't matter. Shadowsbane had an effective scouting routine worked out and began to fly out slightly farther each night. The Priest was a wonder by healing the undead from daily rot. He did feel very uneasy about it at first, but grew into the part quite well. He even managed to make a birth control potion for Saithe. The potion stayed in her system for several days at a time. Horny felt somewhat relieved about that.

"Well, my love," Saithe said with a smile. "what do we do tonight?"

"I don't know," Horny grumbled. They were seated on the thrones and in constant thought. Saithe gazed up at the shelf above the great double doors and smiled. The two crowns were seated there, and she couldn't wait to add to their collection. Horny grumbled and sighed. They were both bored and were tired of killing chickens for fun. It had been a month since they claimed the castle as their own and had enjoyed it immensely.  _Something was bound to change._ That was eminent when her father appeared. Horny was eager to see what he had to say.

"I think I know what can be done," Shade said with a smile.

"Yes, Father?" Saithe asked.

"There is another castle not far off. Shadowsbane has detected it."

"Really?" Horny asked with a grin. "It's about time!"

"What do the shadows reveal?" Saithe asked.

"Well, there are two princes there. Brothers. Identical twins, in fact," Shade sighed. "They are constantly feuding over each other!"

"Should be an easy killing," Saithe grinned.

"You won't be caught?" Horny snarled. She scowled at him and stood up in her armor. She walked to the window and grew out her demon wings. She snapped her tail at him with defiance.

"I'll have my dragon escort me to the castle. I want to see the grounds," she said.

"Suit yourself. I'll slap around the Mistress while you're gone," he grinned.

"You do that, and I'll slap  _you_  around!" she hissed jealously. He beckoned for her, and she walked over to him. He pulled her into his lap and kissed her soundly.

"Be careful," he whispered in her ear.

"Always," she said with love. "The shadows will send word of what I find."

"I'll bite your neck to make sure they tell the truth."

"Have they ever lied to you?" she asked in a husky whisper. He growled at her. She always played this game with him, and he never got tired of it. She went over to the window and spread her wings to stretch.

"When you get back," he snarled.

"Of course, My Lord," she said with a mocking bow. He grinned and watched her fly out the window. He looked at Shade and nodded. The Shadow Demon smiled and vanished. Even her father wanted her protected at all times.

Saithe flew up to the dragon and settled herself onto his neck.

" _The castle is quite large. Much larger than this one. It will be fun to tear down!_ " Shadowsbane chuckled.

"We must keep to the plan at the moment. Let us scout the castle at a safe distance so I can see how to approach it," Saithe chided. The dragon nodded and sped off with her. She discovered the castle was built on a rich, vast meadow. As they scouted more, they saw that both princes had their rooms on opposite sides of the castle, but they both faced the meadow. She looked at the full moon and whispered her plan to the dragon. With a roar that sounded like laughter, they descended onto the meadow.

"What are you planning?! This was not part of the deal!" Horny growled. Shade had transported him to the meadow personally the moment the dragon landed. He knew that Horny was going to want to be there to ensure her absolute safety.

"Well, my love, I was planning to dance nude in the meadow to entice the princes out in the open. Then I would become an angel and talk to them!" she grinned. Horny thought about it and grinned.  _The full moon was out, anyways. She had a valid point._

"Yes, that would be a nice perspective! We shall watch in the shadows," he said. Saithe slid off the dragon's back, and Horny scooped her up to kiss her. Shadowsbane simply retreated to the edge of the meadow. His black scales would easily hide him. When Horny and Shade vanished to hide in the shadows, Saithe removed her armor and set it aside. She reverted to her human form. She smiled and whispered a song, as she focused on the two towered rooms. When she saw the lights appear, she walked to the middle of the meadow and began to dance.

She heard them walk to their windows, and she felt them staring. She smiled and began to stretch to perform some interesting dance positions. She felt Horny's glare on her, and she knew he was restless. The moment the brothers had begun to approach her, she stopped dancing and stood up tall. She took a moment to examine her prey.

They were clearly identical twins. They were both skinny with black hair and green eyes. If there was any difference, it was that one wore a slight beard. The other was clean shaven. They were both in blue silk bed clothes, and both were fixated on her.

"Charles, do you see what I see?" the clean-shaven one asked.

"I do, Jordon. It appears that this poor maiden is in distress!"

"I? In distress?" Saithe said with a slight surprise. She chanted under her breath, and her angel guise appeared. Her great, golden wings flicked once, as they folded behind her back, and she smoothed out the white fabric she wore. She had found a spell with her father's help that let her reach into her little pouch whenever she needed to.

"An...angel?" Jordon said with amazement. She smiled softly and pulled out her harp. The other prince was completely enthralled with her. She began to play.

"Greetings, children," she whispered. "It is not often I appear in a form like that."

"Greetings and salutations," Charles said solemnly. "I welcome you to the kingdom of El'neraith."

"What?!" his brother shrieked. "I was to greet her first!"

"Come, now, brother!" Charles said. "You were too enthralled with her breasts!"

"I was not!" he said defensively. "You were!"

"Boys, please!" Saithe said sternly. "I am not an object to be fought over!"

"Of course not!" Charles said. "A beautiful angel like yourself should not be subject to normal chattel. I'm not sure if my brother would say the same, though."

"Why, you...!" Jordon snarled and lunged at his brother's throat. The two of them fought in the grass like children and finally Saithe got tired of it.

"ENOUGH!" she screamed. The valley echoed with her voice, and the two brothers looked at her with fear. She resumed playing her harp. She refocused to calm herself, and she could feel Horny laughing at her. "That is quite enough! I came here to speak with you! Not mother you! Now will the two of you have enough decency to sit down and listen to what I have to say?!"

The two men looked at her and grumbled their agreements. They sat next to each other in an uneasy truce. Saithe had managed to regain her common sense and was still fuming. Horny was still laughing at her.

"I apologize," Charles frowned.

"I, too, apologize," Jordan mumbled. When it was clear that they still showed jealous looks at each other, she knew it wasn't going to work this way.

"I was hoping that I would have enough time to speak with you, but my time has run out," she whispered. "I will have to speak with you two on separate occasions to keep this from happening again. My time is short on this plane, as it is."

"No, please!" Jordon begged. "We'll be neutral!"

"For now," Charles muttered.

"Very well, then," she sighed. "I was wondering if the two of you could help me with a disturbing situation."

"How can we help you?" Charles asked.

"Long ago, before I died," Saithe began with a controlled sense of urgency. "I was a great noblewoman. I have been granted a chance to relive my life as the same girl you saw dancing in the meadow. I want to relive the life I once had. The only thing is that I am cursed at the same time."

"How are you cursed?" Jordon asked.

"I cannot eat any food that mortals eat," she said. "I can only eat freshly harvested hearts from living creatures. I cannot drink water. I can only drink blood."

"My God..." Charles said with a chill. "That  _is_  an evil curse!"

"Who placed it on you?" Jordon asked.

"A creature so terrifyingly evil that I cannot dare to mention his name for fear of summoning him!" she shuddered. "I prayed in the clouds to have the chance to come down, and he gave me that chance. I can still hear his echoing laughter in my mind! He believes that my curse cannot be lifted..."

"We would do anything to help you!" Charles said.

"I appreciate that. My new temporary life will start tomorrow at sunset. I must take my leave now," she said.

"How will we know who you are?" Jordon asked.

"I will be in the same form you saw me in when you woke. I may be dressed in peasant garb, so do not try to shun me, if I approach you."

"How can we not shun such a beautiful lady like you?" Charles asked. She chuckled and took to the air. The brothers fought over each other as to who would court the lady while she was on the earth, and she grumbled. Shade flew up to meet with her.

"I have a proposition," he said.

"Anything!" she said, as she glared at the two men.

"Convince one prince to hunt for you. I shall take over the beast he is hunting and threaten to kill him. While that is done, have Horny cast an illusion over himself to be the prince that is out hunting. When the other human sees you with Horny, the seed of jealousy will be planted," he said with a grin.

"Father! That plan is brilliant!" she said and hugged him. He hugged her back and released her. He knew she was going to be in a fit of rage, if she had to deal with both of them.  _With only one to coerce, it would be much easier._

"Now, which one shall I help you entice?" he asked.

"Charles. Jordon is the one who gets jealous easily. I suspect he is the younger."

"Very true. We shall get to work the moment you get settled into the palace."

She flew down to the ground, and Horny scooped her up in his arms. She whispered Shade's plan into his ear, and he laughed heartily.  _It would work like a charm._

"I am going to take you back to my lair," Horny whispered. "I want you to dance for me like you did just a bit ago."

"Do you want me to sing, too?" she asked with smile.

"That's not a bad notion, but I think the dancing would be more desirable."

"We shall see what...rises to the occasion?" she grinned. He scowled at her and got onto Shadowsbane's back. They flew back to the castle.


	17. Chapter 17

At sunset, she arrived at the meadow. The undead maids had dressed her up to look completely bedraggled and dirty. She slipped past the castle guards and walked onto the main road. She shied away from everyone and managed to find her way to the castle's main doors. She waited. When she saw the princes, she ran in front of their horses and spooked them to rear.

"What?!" Charles said with surprise.

"You mangy cur! You should watch where you're going!" Jordon spat, as he got his brown charger under control.

"Oh, I beg your pardon!" she whispered sadly. "I was shoved out into your way, and I had no idea..."

"Wait a minute," Charles said softly. He got off his white horse and knelt down to look at her. She was sprawled on the ground and whimpered. "It's you! Jordon! It's her! She made an appearance!"

"What? You mean I insulted her?!" he said with disbelief.

"She warned us to keep an eye out for her!" his brother growled. "My lady, we shall get you rested and cleaned up. My brother and I had just decided to go out to hunt for you. Jordon! Get a servant out here!"

Saithe smiled and let herself lean close to Charles when his brother rode back into the main gates. She beckoned for Charles to lean close to her.

"I am more interested in you than your brother," she breathed enticingly in his ear. "I hope we find a way to be alone soon!"

He stammered and looked at her blushing face. Jordon returned as quickly as he left. A servant appeared behind him and was eager to do his master's bidding.

"Jordon, we'll hunt later. I think we have enough here at the castle to feed her for now, don't you think?" he asked.

"Yes...we do. We just got in a new shipment of cattle. I think, if we slaughter the largest one, it may suffice."

"We will feast, then!" Charles said, as he pulled Saithe to her feet. "As for you, my dear, you will get cleaned up before you join us. Everything is under control!"

"What of your parents?" she asked. "Will they join us?"

"Unfortunately my Father, King Mandan, is away at war. He should be here in the next couple of days. As for our Mother, she had passed on years ago from a sickness that we could not cure."

"So sad! I shall look forward to seeing your father, then," she said with smile. Then she could only mentally giggle to herself.  _Oh, yes._   _I will look forward to seeing him and his crown!_

She was ushered into a large bedchamber, and she told the maids to leave. She removed her garments and slipped into the heated tub. When Horny stepped into the room, he grunted, "Is the water perfumed?"

"Horribly. You won't like it," she sighed.

"I'll tolerate it," he grinned, as he stepped into the water with her.

"It's not blood, and you'll smell of roses. You're sure?"

"I'm already in the water!" he snarled. "What more is there to ask?"

"Well, I'm just saying that...Hey!" she scowled, as he crushed her to him. He silenced her with his mouth, and he began to massage her body with his hands.

"I'm keeping a  _very_  close eye on you!" he growled in her ear. "I will not be disappointed by those princes!"

"Actually, I hear Jordon's footsteps," she grinned, as she heard the softest of steps from a shadow's report. "Do you have that illusion worked up, yet?"

"I do, in fact," he grinned. He chanted with a small mutter, and the filmy shadow of the human's guise went over his form. They both heard the door peek open, and she was thrilled when she called out the name of the prince's older brother. She saw Jordon's eyes harden at the sight of his older brother taking the lady that he thought was his.  _The seed of jealousy was planted._  All Saithe and Horny had to do was repeat the same incident a few more times to turn the jealousy into absolute hatred. Then the hatred could be turned into a frenzy of murder. She was sure that Jordon wouldn't even rationalize about where his brother was right now.  _They could have split ways to prepare for the feast._  The door closed just as Horny bucked into her with completion. Saithe rested against his chest.

"Now that that's over with," she grinned. He kissed her while the illusion vanished. As much as he hated looking like a human, he'd tolerate it to get to their goal.

"Do you think we can get him to turn?" he asked.

"Why don't you give him the offer of killing his brother in exchange for me? That way, when Jordon does try to claim me, you can kill him."

"Yes...I'll just tell him that I thought I was talking to his brother!" he grinned. They both laughed, and he hugged her tightly. He kissed her again before he released her to leave for the shadows. She got up and stretched with contentment before drying herself off. As she reached for the wardrobe to dress, Shade entered the room.

"Very nicely done with Jordon," he complimented, as he watched her.

"Thank you!" she smiled. "What is it that you came here for?"

"I just wanted to let you know that there is a very large wild boar roaming the area. I'm going to possess it. Tell Charles of it and let him know that, if he manages to bring the heart to you, it can be out of an act of pure undying love. Something along that plan will work either way. I'll just make sure he follows it to no end. I'll lead him on a wild chase for a couple of days. That should give you enough time to corrupt Jordon even further," he grinned.

"Wonderful!" she grinned back. "I heard the king is supposed to be arriving. If you let Charles meet up with his father, you can have Shadowsbane kill them both together. Just save the crown."

"An excellent notion! I'll lead them towards our castle. Shadowsbane will think they are going after his lair. He'll be defending our territory!" he grinned.

"Let the dragon know beforehand so he can prepare."

"Of course, I will. I'll let you dress," he said. When Shade vanished, she pulled out a simple gown of red velvet that gave her an ample cleavage. She fit it over her skulls easily and managed to tie the threads. She brushed out her hair and put on a set of matching slippers. She opened the door and walked to the main hall. Every man she passed turned their head, and she grinned evilly.  _I truly had the finest body that anyone had ever seen._  She grinned again when she knew it only belonged to Horny.

She made her way to the dining hall, and the princes were both seated. They both stood up with surprise when she entered the room. She made her way to the servants' table, but Charles cleared his throat.

"Ah, please, sit up here with us," Charles beckoned. She smiled and nodded demurely. Jordon was green with envy when she sat next to his brother. When they brought out her goblet of blood and the large heart on her platter, the servants paled with disgust. Charles told them that she was cursed, and this was the only food she could eat. All of them hoped this strange meal would pass in time. When the whispers started to filter from the servants' table, Charles glowered with anger and smacked his hand on the table. That stopped it all together. When she was escorted back to her room by Charles, she drew him close to whisper in his ear.

"There is a massive wild boar that is taking over the countryside," she whispered. "I have a great feeling that, if it is killed and I eat its heart, my curse will be over!"

"Do you think so?" he asked.

"The only problem is that I only want the one I wish to be with to kill it. If Jordon kills it, I'll have to be with him," she sighed.

"I shall leave right now to hunt the beast!" he said. "I do not know how long it will be, but I shall be victorious!"

"Just so you know, it is a very intelligent creature and will no doubt go towards other lairs for safety. Even dangerous ones that could hold monstrosities. I have been trying to locate this boar for some time, but I never suspected it would be here."

"How do you know of this?"

"My curse is tied to the beast," she sighed.

"Boar heart will be served the moment I carve it out from the chest of that beast!" he vowed. He kissed her hand gently and backed away. He would have kissed her, but it would not have been appropriate. He bade her good night and left for the stables.

"Too easy!" she grinned with her fangs revealed. She was still hungry. The single heart she was given for a meal was not enough. It was also too small for her appetite. She moved into the bedroom to lock the door and figure out what to do.

"Here," Horny growled and dumped a platter of hearts on the bed for her. She grinned, and they both feasted.

"So, where did you get these?" she asked, as he licked her clean.

"Some servants were drunk near the back of the castle," he grinned. She giggled and tore into another heart. She told him what Charles was going to do, as well as what Shade had planned. He laughed and ripped off her dress. He put on the illusion guise and threw the platter aside. He relaxed onto the bed, and she rested on his chest. When she pulled up the covers, he grumbled from the unusual feeling of soft down, but he shrugged it off. He knew they were only doing this to piss off Jordon.

"Now what?" she asked.

"We'll sleep. I'll walk around the castle with you at my side constantly. This way, it will appear that we are completely in love."

"Which we are," she grinned. "It will make Jordon think he hasn't a chance in Hell and will make him easy for you to subdue!"

They kissed each other deeply, and she settled down to sleep. Horny sensed that Jordon was watching them, and he let himself smile somewhat smugly.  _It would be incredibly easy to conquer this castle._


	18. Chapter 18

Charles stormed into the stables and readied his white charger for the hunt. He gathered several of his best huntsmen and told them what they were going after.

"This boar has already caused an uproar in the smaller villages! We must kill it!" he growled. The men were eager for the hunt and got the hounds ready. They took off within the hour. He dared not tell his brother and could only pray he did not notice his absence. They rode for the better part of the night searching for the beast.

"Well, hello," Shade grinned, as he spotted the massive black boar sleeping in the nearby brush. Its size was impressive. It was twice as large as any boar buck he had ever seen, and the giant, foot-long tusks were yellowed and chipped with age. He crept over to it and dissolved into a cloud of smoke. The smoke fell onto the boar like a blanket, and it woke with fury and confusion. When it was quickly overcome, Shade laughed and whispered in the tiny mind.  _:Got you!:_

Now as the boar, he gave out a savage snarl and ran towards the prince. He tossed his aged tusks into the air and charged at the horse's feet to try and impale a leg.

"Whoa!" Charles screamed, as his horse reared from the surprise attack. The boar was indeed huge, as it stood about half the size of the horse. With a squealing hiss, the boar attacked the hounds and tore several of them in half with a strength that it clearly didn't normally possess. Then it began to run in the opposite direction.

"Your Majesty?! What in the world was that?!" a hunter gaped.

"She's right!" Charles breathed. "That thing is part of her curse! Men! That's our target! Attack!"

"Yes, Sire!" the hunters chorused and gave a signal to the dogs. The horns sounded, and they all gave chase. He was led clear through the other side of the forest, and, with surprise, encountered his father's entourage.

"Father!" Charles said with surprise.

"My son! What are you doing out here in the middle of the night? I was planning to surprise you with my coming in the morning!" he said with regret.

"Father, a wild boar has been causing uproar in the commerce! Jordon is home protecting the castle, and I came out here to kill it. It is horribly intelligent!" he said quickly. His father thought.

"A boar, eh? Well, we haven't had boar meat in quite some time. I'll help!" he said and signaled his men. He dropped his mouth in shock when the boar charged into the camp. He never knew a boar could get so large!

"Attack!" they both shouted. The boar squealed and ran off. They gave chase.

 _:Now to take them to Shadowsbane.:_  Shade grinned with his boar smile and muttered in the boar's mind. He ran at top speed towards the lair. He slowed up just enough to make the humans think they were gaining on him before bursting with speed again. He was proving to be a difficult kill.

"This creature!" the king growled. "It is not a normal beast!"

"I know it, Father!" Charles hissed. "That's why it must be destroyed! It killed several peasants already and half my hounds! I don't want any more lives taken!"

"Right!" his father agreed. They took off into the coming dawn.


	19. Chapter 19

Jordon's jealousy grew with each passing minute. He watched his brother court the lady to no end. He took her on a grand tour of the castle, let her picnic with him in the garden, and he even sang a love sonnet to her! His jealousy had soon grown into rage. He decided to confront his brother.

"Come with me," Horny said in the illusion guise of Charles. He had perfected the illusion to mask his voice, as well.

"Of course, my love," Saithe said happily. He took her to the meadow.

"Now, I am going to really make him burst into fits of rage!" he grinned.

"Go right ahead!" she giggled. He waited until Jordon was in sight. Then he went on bended knee.

"I feel as though I've known you forever," he said loudly. "Please, my lady, will you marry me?"

"Oh! I would love to!" she said, and they embraced. Jordon stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes were wide with disbelief.  _My brother had just proposed to the girl, and she said yes!_  He narrowed his eyes in hatred and stormed back into the castle. Horny heard him whisper that he wanted to kill his brother. That was the alarm that he was ready to be turned.

"Now, my young bride," Horny said with a grin. "I shall make my deal to him!"

"Be quick, husband. I grow hungry," she growled. He kissed her, and the shadows transported him to Jordon's room. He dropped the illusion and brandished his scythe. He waited. He was glad that he didn't have to wait long. Jordon stormed into his room with a scowl and began tossing things around in his anger. He finally calmed down enough to realize that something else was in the room with him. He turned and paled at the sight of Horny.

"You summoned me?" Horny snarled.

"I? I summoned you? I believe you are mistaken!" Jordon said.

"You did summon me the moment you whispered that you wanted to kill your brother. Tell me. Why do you want him killed?"

"I...it's not fair!" he spat. "Charles gets everything! Just because he's older, he gets everything! He gets the castle when Father dies, the money, even the new lady that came to us! He...I feel tossed aside!"

"Hmm...yes. Jealousy can do that to someone," Horny mused. "Why don't we make...a deal?"

"What deal would you offer me?"

"Not quite the same deal as the angel you spoke with, but a different deal."

"You are the one who cursed that lovely lady?"

"Oh, yes. Saithe...quite a lovely young sprite, indeed," he grinned. "I will give you the opportunity to slay your own brother and take her hand in marriage. All you need to do is grow the little stubble of hair on your chin, and you can easily take your brother's place. I can set up the whole arrangement for you."

"What is the catch to this scheme?" Jordon asked. Horny grinned.

"You must wallow in eternal darkness forever. However, if Saithe chooses to leave your side for some reason, you cannot complain."

"For some reason?" Jordon repeated.

"You must remember," Horny said evilly. "she is something not of this world. Her time here is temporary unless I choose it. I may make her...spend time with me."

"What? You would dare to corrupt a beautiful girl?"

"I never said I already did," Horny said with a savage grin. The prince paled.

"You mean...she could be using us?"

"No. She truly loves your brother," he snorted. "I can force her to love you."

"To have her even for one night..." Jordon seethed. "I'll do it!"

"Remember," Horny growled. "you are to be in darkness!"

"I know it!" Jordon seethed. "I've always wanted to be first..."

"And it will be so! Right now, a wild boar is leading your brother and father on a wild goose chase to a dragon's lair."

"What? But, in the meadow I saw him!"

Horny started laughing loudly. Jordon didn't know what was going on.

"Once you are in darkness you stay in darkness," Horny grinned. " _I_  was portraying as your brother, little human! A little illusion to stir one's hatred!"

" _You_  used us?!" Jordon shrieked.

"Ah, but Saithe does not know it, either. She is a rather delectable little girl," he grinned. "Quite a charmer, she is."

"So, all those times...I spied on you..." Jordon said with disbelief.

"Yes. It was me. She said she would marry me, not your brother!" he grinned.

"Then I should be angry at you!" Jordon hissed.

"Be angry with me, and you will not live! Now, do you want to gain control of this castle or not?" Horny asked with a smoldering glare. Jordon couldn't believe how easily he slipped into the trap.  _I am now trapped in darkness. I gave my word. This creature is now my master._  He lowered his head with distraught.

"Yes. Let's kill them!" Jordon said.

"First, I must marry Saithe," Horny grinned. "Then again, I may be already married to her."

"My love?" Saithe asked, as she entered the room. She saw Horny and ran up to him with joy. He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her deeply.

"You have no illusions on!" Jordon said with amazement. Then he saw Saithe grow out a set of black demon wings and a whip-like tail. Horny grinned and ripped off her dress. Jordon gasped at the sight of her pierced nipples. Apparently, Shade had cast an illusion on her when she first danced in the meadow to hide the skulls.

"It appears that we dropped our disguises," Saithe whispered in his ear.

"For once, I don't care!" Horny grinned and kissed her again.

"B-but...how can this be?!" Jordon stammered. Saithe looked over at him and smiled her fanged smile before whispering to Horny again.

"We are already married," Horny growled. "We were married the moment you were born."

"I know. It would just seem more natural...especially if Charles saw it!" she grinned. Horny smiled and looked over at Jordon. He pointed his scythe at the human.

"You will go to the dragon's lair! Tell the dragon to gather as much food as he can. There is to be...a wedding feast!" Horny commanded. Jordon was going to protest, but something caught in his throat.  _I had already made a vow. I had to obey._

"Yes...Master!" Jordon growled and left.

"Are you going to kill him?" she asked.

"I'll let Shadowsbane do it. The dragon needs some fresh meat, anyways," Horny chuckled and sat in a chair with her in his lap.

"There is something I need to ask you," she said. Horny looked at her.

"What?"

"If you were in a room full of exotic women...even though I said you couldn't touch them, would you...well...?"

"Would I give in to them?" he asked with a heavy frown. "Saithe, you are the  _only_  woman I have ever needed in my life! All the rest of them are cattle. You are a fiery pit that lives in death and shadow. Only you know my moods. No one else can replace you. I'd probably just slaughter them all and save the hearts for you!"

"Horny!" she breathed happily. She hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back.

"You know, if one of the women was a sorceress and was able to make an illusion of you, I might give in by accident," he admitted.

"Horny, look into the impostor's eyes, if that happens. You know how I make you feel. All I do is kiss you after you sink. That will be your sign to tell if it is me or not," she said. He nodded with a smile. He gazed into her eyes, and she kissed him when he lost all train of thought. He began to lick her neck, and she groaned with need.

"Your scent is all I need, as well," he grunted, as he worked his way down. She grabbed onto his horns and tugged on them gently. At the feel of that, he worked with her cries and growled out, "And I only let you do that!"

He removed his belt and gasped when she slid onto him. He tried to work with her disjointed whimpers and pleas, but he found himself giving in to his own passions. He just barely heard her cry out when he released himself into her. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his thunderous heart pounding. She began to purr with satisfaction, as she whispered, "Only you can ever satisfy me."

"I had better be the only one! And...purring?! This is new!" he grinned. She looked up at him and smiled. He hugged her close again and sighed. He felt good. He looked down at her tail and did a double take.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Your tail has scales on it," he said, as he pulled it up to look at it closely.

"It does?" she asked.

"Yes. You know, if you let only parts of it appear, it can look like a snake," he grinned. "I'm sure it moves just like one."

"You mean like this?" she grinned, as she let her tail climb up his chest and rub against his skin.

"Just like that," he grinned back before pushing her tail off.

"I think it would be a nice way to make a man leap from his bed!" she said with a fanged grin. "A little precaution on my side!"

"Yes. I'll feel better, too!"

"Maybe we should let Jordon try to sneak into my bed tonight so I can try it out. If he becomes too out of hand, you can kill him!" she said.

"I don't think so!" Horny snarled. "I am the  _only_  one allowed in your bed!"

"Of course, I know," she chuckled. They kissed again before she jumped off his lap. She found her armor and donned it quickly. She watched him replace his belt and stand up tall. He placed a hand on her hip.

"If you're still hungry, I think we can slaughter some people here," he said. She nodded, and they went on a killing spree. They hid the bodies of everyone they killed, and Horny escorted her to her room. He kissed her again and licked off a spot of blood. She smiled at him and watched him walk into the shadows. She jumped into her bed, got under the covers, and relaxed. She didn't have to wait too long. Jordon barged into the room and started ripping off his clothes.

"What are you doing?!" she screamed.

"I was promised to have you," he growled. "I am taking up that promise!"

"You are crazy!" she sneered. He pulled the sheets back and saw a portion of her tail. It moved just like a venomous snake would, and Jordon jumped back several feet.

"What the...?!" he gasped. Then he saw her armor. He wasn't expecting that. He saw her snarl and get up on all fours like a vicious she-wolf. She locked eyes with him, and he felt himself falling into darkness. When he was paralyzed, she got up smoothly and pushed herself up to his chest.

"You are to go and do My Lord's bidding," she whispered in his ear. "If you ever pull this stunt again, I'll make sure that it's your beating heart that is digesting in my belly!"

Jordon gasped, as she released her hold on him. He dressed and left without a word. She grumbled and looked out the window.  _It was already dark._  She decided to explore the castle grounds. She found a dark green gown to wear over her armor, and she took a stroll in the courtyard.

"Witch!" a servant screamed at her. "There she is! I saw her eating the hearts of my friends! Grab her and burn her at the stake!"

"What?!" she seethed. People from all over suddenly filled the grounds. She tried to summon her shadows to stun some of them so she could escape, but there was too much light from the torches they carried.

"Witch! We'll make you pay!" a woman screamed. "You enchanted our castle with death!"

"Have you any proof?!" Saithe screamed back. Then she saw Jordon in the tower window. He was swearing and trying to make his way down, but his servants were blocking him. A rock was thrown out of nowhere, and it struck her in the temple. She fell down, and the mob grabbed her.

When she woke up, she was tied to a stake. She seethed with anger and saw the torches being brought to light the brushes. She summoned enough shadows to get Horny on the scene. They had just lighted the fire when a woman screamed. Like a whirlwind of death, Horny cut down the crowd. He howled his rage and cleared the whole area in seconds. He breathed heavily and began to look for Saithe. "Saithe! Where are you?!"

"Horny!" Saithe screamed, as the fire began to singe her cloak. His eyes widened with disbelief at what he saw. He tried to clear away the flames with his scythe, but the wood had already caught. She started coughing from the smoke in the wall of fire, but then she looked up with surprise. He walked through the fire with a practiced ease. His own fire from his footfalls extinguished the flames from the wood. She felt weak from the smoke when he cut her bonds loose, and he cradled her in his arms while he walked out of the smoking pit.

"I came the moment you called," he muttered, as he studied her for wounds.

"Kill them all," Saithe whispered before coughing again. "They called me a witch! I am not a witch! I am death!"

"You are life to me," he snarled, as he surveyed the area. "I have ordered Shade to contact our troops. Nothing will be left alive at this castle come daybreak!"

"Take Jordon to our castle," she whispered. "He must lay a trap for his brother and father. They must all witness our wedding before they die!"

"That and, while Jordon is away, our armies will play!" he growled, as he took her back to her room. Jordon encountered them. His tunic was covered in his servants' blood. He had to kill his servants to escape them.

"Is she all right?!" he asked.

"She is well. You must reach our castle to the east and lay siege to your kin. Get on a horse and ride. The shadows will guide you. Go!" Horny hissed. Jordon left without a second thought. The moment Horny sensed he was gone, he called to his army with a chilling howl. They swarmed the castle within the hour.

"I don't feel very good," Saithe coughed. "They burned something in that wood. I know they did!"

"You don't look well, either. I'm taking you to the Priest," he growled, as he studied her face. It was turning a lighter shade of white, and her lips were getting a blue tint to them. When he walked outside the castle, he saw Shadowsbane slaughtering humans and placing their hearts in a bag. He turned his head and roared when he saw Saithe in a weakened state.

" _I will take you back and return here to turn this castle into a pile of rubble! Of course, I'm going to loot it for everything it's worth!_ " the dragon hissed.

"You do that!" Horny slavered. He sat on the dragon's neck and had to support Saithe with a gentle, yet unbreakable hold. She was weakening even faster. He could have taken the shadows, but he needed her help for that. She was too weak to call them. The dragon flew at top speed. The moment they reached their home, Horny jumped down and pulled Saithe into his embrace. She coughed again and sighed. He ran in and screamed for the Priest. The old man came running.

"I'm here, I'm here!" he said, as he breathed heavily. He placed Saithe's head on a pillow and placed his hands on the sides of her temple. He frowned greatly. "They poisoned her with the smoke of birch wood and hawthorn wood aged in sunlight. I doubt they even knew what type of wood they were using. It's normally used for ceremonies for successful harvests. Keeps demons away, and such. If I recall, there is only one cure for this. When it comes to what a demon needs, that is."

"What?!" Horny growled.

"She must drink a glass of clear, purified water. The water must be harvested under a full moon. It will help sweat out the poison. There is a clear, full moon right now. If you can get the water, it will cure her."

"She can't drink water! She vomits everything but blood!" Horny said.

"We have to try, or else she is lost!" the Priest argued.

" _There is a natural spring behind the castle. I shall have one of our servants get several flasks of it_ ," Shadowsbane hissed. Horny nodded and bade everyone to leave. He picked her up and carried her to their lair. He placed her in her bed of blood, and he smoothed her hair back. He glared at any that tried to enter, and he snorted menacingly. She coughed again, and he looked at her with concern. The blue tint on her lips was spreading through her veins, and she couldn't stop shivering.

"How go the traps?" she whispered weakly.

"I do not know," he said. "We are getting a cure for you. The smoke poisoned you. You must drink some purified water to destroy the poison."

"I may vomit!" she coughed.

"I know, but it is the only way," he sighed. "Maybe...maybe  _I_  can drink the water, and you can drink my blood! Remember the booze from the Casino?"

She smiled and coughed harshly. She was spitting out black blood now. He hissed at the sight of it and bellowed for the servants to hurry. The scrawny boy ran in with a flask. Horny drank half of the water and cut his wrist open. He pressed the wound to her lips, and she drank. It worked.

Her skin gleamed with a green slime, and her body convulsed horribly. He drank the rest of the water and another flask was offered to him. Her heart bed bathed her in blood and pumped away the slime. When her skin was slick with red blood, and no traces of green appeared, he put the flask away. He would make sure he had more of this water in the future. He growled at any creatures that appeared to help. They left quickly after that. All was well once again.

"Horny..." she sighed with exhaustion.

"Saithe, Saithe," he whispered, as he pulled her close to hug her. She breathed heavily with relief.

"Now, I will ask again," she said. "How go the traps?"

"I can tell you that," Shade said with a grin. He handed her the heart of the boar he had possessed, and she ate it hungrily.

"So, the boar is dead?" Horny asked.

"Of course. Where do you think I got the heart? Jordon ambushed them just as the beast was slaughtered. Their men are dead and trussed up for the feast. As well as the horses and hounds. The king and Charles are bound to chairs and facing the Keeper's Heart. All we need to do is find someone to wed you."

"Let me do it!" the undead king said with a grin. "I knew Mandan well, and I think it would be an absolute pleasure in making him fear of me once again!"

"So, the two of you were enemies?" Saithe asked with a raised brow.

"Even better. We were brothers!" the king grinned. "My name is Justin. I was known as Justin the Courageous when I was living. Mandan was my younger brother. Would it be possible for him to be resurrected? It helps to have two chiefs in battle. I don't care for his sons. They were always a meddlesome lot."

"I don't see why not," she said. "Just rip out both of the hearts of his sons. You can say it is part of the wedding ceremony!"

"Didn't Jordon turn?" Justin asked.

"Yes, but the castle is being destroyed, as we speak. He is not necessary, and I don't like the way he looks at Saithe!" Horny snapped. She giggled and pressed her cheek against his chest. He looked down at her and grinned.

"Horny," the Mistress said, as she slunk inside the room. "if you like, I can help Saithe prepare for the wedding."

Horny glared long and hard at the woman. Shade whispered something into Horny's ear, and the Reaper grinned.

"If you hurt Saithe for any reason whatsoever, the shadows will tell me of it!" he snapped. "If you so much as sneer at her, I will not hesitate to rip you apart!"

"I understand," the Mistress said. "Besides, you give me plenty of work with the new recruits! I think that this is a fair exchange."

"I'll be waiting," Horny snorted and helped Saithe stand up. He kissed her long and deeply before releasing her to the Mistress's care. The red-haired woman took Saithe to a distant stream and let her clean herself off.

"He really does love you, doesn't he?" the Mistress sighed.

"Yes. I love him as much as he loves me. We back each other up in battle. I know for a fact that we would do anything for each other," Saithe said, as she finished cleaning off the blood. The Mistress nodded at her and led her into the dragon's lair.

"I should pick out a gown for you. Maybe some jewelry?" the Mistress asked. "I am sure Horny would be very pleased."

"I don't think there are any gowns here," Saithe shrugged. The Mistress clapped her hands, and the only undead seamstress in the castle appeared.

"We found some bolts of silk with a hint of satin lace. They are of a strange silvery color, but a nice dress can be made," the seamstress said with a smile. Saithe nodded and the dress began to get pieced together. The Mistress found a silver circlet set with sapphires. When she searched a little more, she found matching earrings and a necklace. Another maid came in with various paints and powders for Saithe's face. When it came time to don the dress, Saithe stopped them.

"What is it?" the Mistress asked with a slight irritation.

"I want to wear something under the dress. No doubt Horny is going to rip it off me, but I want him to be surprised when he does so," Saithe grinned. The Mistress snickered with her and nodded with agreement. Saithe chose to have a thin filament of the silk to go over both her breasts and trail between her legs. The Mistress pulled the silk taught so that it created a wedge in her rear. At this, she snarled, "Ow! What the Hell are you doing?! Are you trying to rip me in half?!"

"Trust me! It's the same thing I have, but it's built into my suit!" the Mistress snarled back. The seamstress cut a deep v-line in the silk so her cleavage was exposed, and the Mistress tied the loose ends together in a tight manner. The seamstress disapproved, cut the ends off, and stitched it closed. The silk on Saithe's back was trimmed down to a thin line so that it appeared to be one solid piece. When Saithe looked down at herself, she found herself grinning.

"Not what I expected, but this should do nicely!" she said. She put the dress on, then the jewelry. The maid applied the facial paints and left. Slippers were made for her shortly after. A hairdresser came in and put up her hair in long, regal curls. The curls seemed to add a sense of slenderness to her already thin, firm porcelain figure. When the hairdresser left, the maid pulled Saithe in front of a tall mirror for her to examine their handiwork. Saithe did a double take at the image in the mirror. The Mistress took a few steps away for Saithe to study her new look.

"Come and take a look!" the maid beamed.

"Is that...me?" Saithe asked. She never saw her own reflection so clearly before. The dress made her look royally and ethereally beautiful. She put a hand over her mouth and never knew until this moment why she was so desirable by man and demon alike. She had a drastic cleavage, yet the ruffles seemed to roll down the front of the gown in a natural pattern. It seemed to cling to her like a second skin, and the jewelry winked in a rhythmic pattern. Tears seemed to mist up in Saithe's eyes, and she blinked them away.

"Do you think Horny will be pleased?" the Mistress asked loudly.

"Yes, Horny will be very pleased," Shade said, as he gazed at his daughter. "I know I am. Everyone is waiting. Let's go now."

Saithe shook her head nervously and nodded. Shade offered her his arm, and she took it. He led her back towards the Keeper's Heart Chamber, and she was surprised at how many creatures filled the hallways to gaze at her. When she finally reached the chamber, she saw the two kings talking.

"Come, come, brother! Don't you see? We can reign together!" Justin grinned.

"You are dead!" Mandan hissed. "You are not my brother!"

"Well, you won't need this anymore," Justin sighed, and he took off his brother's crown. Mandan sputtered with rage, as he watched his dead brother inspect the crown with a smile. The crown was placed on the ground, and the shadows spirited it away.

"Saithe! Where is she?!" Charles asked, as he struggled against his bonds.

"Why, she's right here!" Shade said with a grin. The human's mouth dropped at her beauty. When he saw her dress, he grew curious.  _It was a wedding dress._

"Who are you marrying?" Charles asked curiously. Jordon longed to speak out to say it was he, himself, but he knew that Horny would slaughter him on the spot.

"She is marrying me!" Horny grinned, as he stood up tall. Saithe knew he was near to bursting with pride at her. He didn't take his eyes off her once since she entered the room. She had definitely caught his attention, and he beckoned to her.

"NO!" Charles shouted, as he tried to struggle again. Saithe smiled at the human and revealed her fangs. Charles dropped his mouth in shock.

"You see, dear brother," Jordon grinned. "she was evil all along. She was playing you for a fool!"

"Now you shall see who I truly love," she whispered. Charles watched her walk up to Horny's side, and the demon took her hands in his.

"I can't let this happen!" Charles screamed. "I refuse it!"

"You are out of your league!" Horny spat. Justin approached the couple and began to start the ceremony. When they both said their vows, they grinned at each other.

"If anyone here deems that this marriage should not happen, speak now or forever hold your peace!" Justin said solemnly.

"I object!" Jordon and Charles said simultaneously. Jordon gasped at his outright response to the question and looked at Horny fearfully. He backed up near his brother and cowered down with wide eyes.

"Then forever hold your peace!" Horny snarled, as he brandished his scythe. He lopped off both of their heads in a single, smooth stroke.

"Anyone else?" Justin asked calmly.

"My sons!" Mandan shrieked. Shade shoved his dagger deep into the king's chest. When he felt the king fully relax in death, he removed the dagger.

"We can resurrect him later," Shade said with a shrug. Saithe smiled and looked at Horny. The demon grinned and looked at Justin.

"All right. You're married. Go have fun," Justin shrugged. Horny laughed at the abrupt ending and flung Saithe onto his shoulder. When the feasting started, he took Saithe outside. Shadowsbane was waiting for them.

" _I know of a tiny island not far from here. You want to spend a few days there?_ " the dragon asked.

"Why would we do that?" Horny asked.

" _For the honeymoon!_ " he snorted. " _Please tell me you at least want some sort of a vacation alone with her!_ "

"A honeymoon?" Saithe asked with curiosity. "I've never heard of it. As for a vacation, yes, that would be lovely."

"All right, then. Take us to this island you know of," Horny growled. The dragon nodded and let them climb onto his back. He took off into the starry night.


	20. Chapter 20

An hour later, he landed on the top of a mountain. The entire island was only about a mile around, but it was filled with wild game. Horny got off and helped Saithe down rather carefully.

" _I'll be back in a few days. Just listen for my roar. I'll be here when you are ready to leave,_ " the dragon rumbled, as he took off. Saithe looked at Horny, and he shrugged. He looked around and spotted a cave near the edge of the mountain.

"Come with me," he said casually. She nodded, and they walked down the mountain. When they walked inside, a heavy snarl greeted them. Horny scowled and told Saithe to stay put. A few minutes later, a shriek echoed throughout the island, and Horny bade her to come inside. He had killed a large bear, and he shoved its carcass out the entrance. When he pulled her to him, the fire from his feet gave them just enough light to look around. The ground was bare and dry. Horny snorted, but got an idea. He went back outside, and a hacking sound was made from his scythe. He came back with the bloodied bear pelt, and he set it on the ground. He went back outside and came back in with the bear's heart.

"I was getting hungry," she smiled.

"I'm not going to let you eat it right away," he grunted.

"Why not?" she pouted.

"I have other things in mind as to what to do with it," he grinned.

"Like what?" she countered. With a quick movement, he placed his scythe on the ground and tore the dress off her body. At the sight of her second nature of clothing, he grinned with lust.

"I hope you don't plan to stay attached to that," he slavered.

"I don't know. It was the Mistress's idea," she said, as she lay herself down on the pelt. He watched her roll onto her belly and stretch. With the way the jewelry sparkled and glittered on her, it seemed to enhance it even more. He growled at the sight of her scantily clad form, and she rolled again onto her back to look up at him in a half-sitting position. He removed his armor quickly and knelt down next to her.

"Oh, yes," he grinned. "I have definite plans with this heart!"

He crushed the organ with his hand and let the warm blood drip onto Saithe's skin. When she went to smear it on her skin, he stopped her to lick it up. She gasped when he tore off the filmy garment and pressed the heart between her legs. He bent to lick and nibble at the oozing meat. Her body trembled at his slow teasing, and she realized that, once again, he was going to make love to her.

She lost her senses and thoughts to his rough tongue on her skin. He squeezed out any blood the pelt offered to him so he could salvage it for her skin. For an hour he tortured her with his slow, delicious teasing before finally deciding to slide onto her to take her. It was completely unexpected when he began to thrust. She was swept away by his sudden urge, and she grabbed onto his horns to pull him closer. He began to groan when he lost control of himself and clasped her to him when he collapsed onto her.

"Never knew a heart could be used like that," she chuckled. He gave a small grin.

"What now, wife?" he muttered thickly when he rolled to have her on top.

"I don't know about you, husband, but I feel completely famished!" she said. There was a sudden noise at the entrance, and Horny got up with a savage hiss. She watched him walk to the entrance with his scythe in hand. He came back with a grin and dropped the bag of hearts that Shadowsbane was collecting for her. He dumped them out onto the bearskin and watched Saithe start to eat each one savagely. When she was halfway done with the pile, he put the rest away.

"I'll add to these later," he grunted. He picked out a large heart and shared it with her. She smeared some blood on her neck and cleverly scratched her neck open slightly. When Horny went to lick the blood off, he began to sense her thoughts. She let her thoughts reveal how much Horny meant to her, and how she would kill anything that tried to get between them. He learned about her whole life, and she felt him squeeze her with rage when he learned of Clyde's first treachery to her. She revealed all of her secrets to him within a single minute, and he finally licked her wound closed. He gazed into her eyes and muttered something intolerable before kissing her.

"What did you say?" she whispered, as he kissed down her neck.

"I'm just so surprised," he grumbled. "as to how one with your flawless beauty can be so undeniably evil and only belong to me! You have no idea as to what is running through my mind right now!"

"Do I dare find out?" she asked with a fanged grin. He smiled and pressed her mouth to his neck in a gentle manner. He felt her pinched bite and revealed all that he could to her about his life. It was highly monotonous, but he felt her tremble with her own rage and jealousy at what he normally did with captive women. He knew right then that she would never let him be with another female. Then again, he knew he didn't want her to be with any other male. He growled at the very thought of Clyde attempting to rape her when she was young, and he felt her hug him. He realized he owed Shade a favor at that. She kissed his neck closed and whispered, "I think just by letting my Father live is a decent favor enough. My Father has done some  _very_  awful things to me in the past, but he was enchanted. It's not often you show mercy."

"I am only showing mercy to him, because you are his daughter!" he snorted. "I would have killed him long ago if it were otherwise. You know for a fact that I can kill without a thought."

"I know. I've seen you in battle. Of course, you know that I would do the same thing, except I try to make it sneaky. Almost like an accident that spreads chaos through a simple day."

"Hmm...so, you tend to treat your strategy like a water effect. You take a drop of water and let it splash into a clear pond. One ripple can destroy the very sheen of a once perfect mirror. I like it!" he grinned. "Of course, that way is not for me."

"I understand completely. However, sometimes a little precaution is necessary for studying an unknown foe. That is what I was taught."

"And your father taught you well in that aspect. I just thought it was funny how he never taught you what men and women did together."

"You taught me that pretty well, thank you!" she said tartly and got up to stretch. "I'm going to go kill something and bathe in its blood."

"I'm going with you, then!" he grunted. "As you said, this is unknown territory! I must be as cautious as I can with you!"

She growled at him, and he grinned. He stood up tall and put his armor on. He realized that she didn't have hers, and he decided to keep her extra close. She had him get the bag of hearts, and he looked at her oddly.

"If we are going to explore, we might as well kill off all the animals here, right?" she grinned. "I want to be able to eat something later. The bag is almost empty."

He grunted with agreement and had the sack hang over his shoulder. He kept a hand on her hip and watched her do something curiously. She picked up a hollow stick and looked at it. She blew in it to make sure it wasn't clogged, and she began to look for something to place in it. When she found a sharp seedling, she stuck it into the opposite end of the tube. Then he asked, "What's that?"

"My Father taught me how to make this. It's called a blow dart. Watch!" she grinned. She caught sight of a magnificently plumed bird and readied the tube to her lips. With a quick puff of air, the seedling launched and struck the bird in the chest. It fell to the ground paralyzed.

"Impressive!" Horny grinned, as he grabbed the bird by its feet. "Why would you need such a tool?"

"I teased the local night watch with it when I was growing up!" she laughed. "They always wore metal helmets, and I made them think they were getting hit with their poles when they turned to march along the edge of the village! I made quite a stir with them when I was bored."

Horny chuckled and told her to keep the weapon. He never knew when something like that would come in handy. He was impressed with the bird's pelt and decided to keep the feathers. Saithe pulled out the bird's heart and bit into it. She smiled at the taste and let him eat the other half. He smiled and realized the blood tasted rather excellent. They went on a killing spree.


	21. Chapter 21

They stayed for a week on the island. When they first arrived, the island was teeming with lush growth and life. Now it was just a smoking lifeless pit. Horny's fiery footfalls burned everything it touched, and Saithe had devoured every heart that beat. They had uncovered a sleeping volcano, and Horny woke it up by walking into its mouth. Horny wasn't hurt by the lava at all, and he carried Saithe everywhere after that. When the dragon landed and roared for them to leave, Horny sighed with resentment.

"What is it?" Saithe asked.

"We must go back to that wonderful place where the cattle are again," he snarled. "I was hoping I could keep you alone and safe for another week!"

"Well, why don't we start a family, then?" she asked. "This way we can go off on our own, and no one can trace our footsteps."

"You mean not trace  _your_  footsteps! You can easily track down mine!" he grumbled. She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. They approached Shadowsbane and the dragon yawned from the wait.

" _Very impressive with what you've done here. Of course, now I'll have to find another island for you_ ," he snorted.

"Just let us know when you find one. We'll kill it off for you!" Saithe grinned. The dragon rumbled a laugh and let them mount up. He took them back to the castle. Horny jumped off his back and helped Saithe down. He carried Saithe to their lair and looked up with concern. Something called to him that appeared to be a threat. It was instinctive to protect his mate and fight off whatever was attempting to threaten them.

"What is it, my love?" she asked.

"I feel...that something is not right!" he snarled. "I need to check it out. No matter what happens, don't look for me!"

"Your pride demands it, right?" she asked. He smiled and kissed her deeply.

"I have always come back to you. If you know something is wrong, watch my throne. If it starts to disappear, start looking," he said. She nodded, and he hugged her tightly to him for several more minutes before releasing her. She watched him leave with a smile. Yet, at the same time, she was horribly bothered by his sudden leave. She would always greet him when he came home to her.


	22. Chapter 22

The hours turned to days. The days turned into a week. The week turned into a month. She was horribly frantic now, and every creature she encountered left her with a deep concern. She was a nervous wreck.

"He's still not home!" she hissed. "Something is wrong!"

"You're right!" Shade said. She looked at him with surprise. Normally he counseled her and said she was overreacting.

"What?" she asked softly.

"His chair became slightly faded!" he snarled.

"No..." she whispered fearfully. "Send out shadows!"

"Already done!" he said grimly. "Shadowsbane just took flight, and the minions are scouring the earth. Even the Mistress is cracking a whip at the Imps. The two kings are leading the zombies in separate search parties. All we can do is wait."

"The wait had better be short!" she snapped. "I waited too long for him, as it is!"

He sighed and watched her storm off. She had  _not_  slept well at all while her mate was away. The only time she slept deeply was when she was completely exhausted, and even then it was only for a couple hours at a time. The only time she ate was when she was weak from hunger. She was several pounds lighter, and her eyes had dark circles under them. She got horribly irate and spat at everything that moved. He grinned in thought that she was reminding him a lot like Horny.

He sat down and listened to the shadows. He didn't know how much time passed, but a sharp snort from a castle window roused him out of his trance.

" _I found a strange castle surrounded by desert sands! The wind reeks of Horny's scent!_ " the dragon hissed urgently. Shade stood up with determination.

"Take me there! I'll not tell my daughter of this yet!" he snarled. The dragon nodded and flew off with him. The daylight seemed to eat at Shade, but he didn't care. His alliance was at stake, and he knew he would remain invisible to those who couldn't see true darkness. Whenever he could, he would fly under the dragon so he wouldn't be hit too hard by the sunlight. The dragon's scales were natural protection, and Saithe's blood seemed to have enhanced that, too.

It was a two-hour trip north, and the castle they found was strange to look at. Indeed the land was a desert. By the time they got there, a rare overcast of clouds was in the sky. It looked like it was threatening to rain. That helped Shade a lot with more cover from the sun. A few green plants here and there were all that dotted the sands.

The castle was short, squat, and the towers had large bulb-like tops on the ends of them. Since Shadowsbane could easily be seen at this time, due to his shape and size, he waited in the outskirts, as Shade flew ahead to investigate. It was easier for him, since he could give off the illusion that he was an over-large bird. He pin-pointed in on Horny's scent to where it was originating from. When Shade flew over to the top window, he scowled with fury. Horny was imprisoned in a crystal of light.  _The Reaper was being starved to death._

"This is why the shadows could not detect him!" he hissed. Then he saw Horny look up weakly and smile. They both knew that Saithe would be horribly pissed off and would stop at nothing to kill the being that did this. Normally, Horny could go for months without eating. The crystal was draining his strength to a point that he had to eat in order to recover properly. The Shadow Demon judged that Horny had another two months before succumbing to the light of the crystal in full. When Shade flew back to Shadowsbane, the dragon looked at him intently.

" _Did you find him?_ " the dragon asked.

"I'm going to stay here. I did find Horny, and I need to study the chamber he's in," Shade told the dragon, as he flew up to the beast. "I need to learn about this place. You need to go get Saithe! Tell her that Horny is encased in a light crystal!"

" _A WHAT?!_ " the dragon screamed. " _Those are nearly impossible to destroy! Even the creator of the spell cannot fully destroy it once it is made!_ "

"Trust me! Saithe will find a way!" Shade growled. "Now go!"

The dragon screamed in anger again and took off to get her. Shade summoned the nearby shadows and sent them scouring for information. He learned the castle was called a palace, and that the king was actually called a Sultan. The Sultan was a fat, depraved fool who kept swarms of girls in something called a harem. Shade hissed when he learned a powerful sorceress lived here, as well.

His senses told him that it was this particular woman that trapped Horny. He would study her every move to know her secrets and her weaknesses.  _She was now dealing with true evil and would find out the hard way as to how she was going to die._ He wasn't sure how she managed a light crystal, but a sorceress of her caliber may have used something else to conjure it.  _Possibly a trade of life for the use of light for evil. Such a thing happened long ago._

"Where is he?!" Saithe snapped. Shade was surprised.  _She beat the dragon back to me._  He took her over to the window, and she screamed with fury. She could not get into the room from the window. It was too well protected with spells.

"I have an idea," Shade said. She looked at him desperately. He whispered his plan to her, and she began to smile.

"Let's do this," she sneered. He nodded, and they flew off to plot.


	23. Chapter 23

The next day, Shade disguised himself as a tired old man. He put illusions on Saithe to hide her current figure and had her bound by a rope. She followed him with her head down. She was dressed in a tattered cloak to cover her face. Shade went over to the slave driver of the palace. He was the one who sold the girls to the highest bidder.

"What have you got?" the slaver growled.

"I bring my daughter. I need to pay off some debts!" Shade muttered.

"We'll see how much she sells for! Leave her here!" the man growled.

"It's up to you now," Shade whispered in Saithe's ear. "I'll be watching over you. Be careful."

"I know," she said softly. She was dragged into a small cage with other women. She shuddered at the close proximity of them, but she narrowed her eyes.  _I will kill them all to get to Horny._  She saw a large wagon approach them. It was drawn by strange, pale animals with large bumps on their back. She listened to the shadows, and they told her these were called camels. She blinked her eyes and shuddered.  _I want to get Horny. I want to get him home._  The silk door of the wagon was pushed back by a servant, and she saw the fat fool sitting on a silk pillow. At the sight of gems on ropes of gold to show how much wealth the man held, she grinned.  _This place would be rich with treasures to plunder._

"Let the slave drive begin!" the Sultan said with his hands raised. The people cheered when woman after woman was pulled from the cage. They screamed with fright at some of their new owners. Many were stripped naked. She looked down at her skulls and whispered an illusion to cover them. Then she grinned to herself.  _Oh, yes_.  _My 'new owner' will get a definite thrill out of me!_

She was pulled from the wagon by a man with greasy hands, and she stood defiantly before the crowd. The tattered cloak was pulled from her and the crowd was silenced by her beauty. She tossed her hair back and grimaced at the harsh sunlight.

"She is mine!" the Sultan grinned. Then he paled when she locked eyes with him. She smiled demurely. He was already under her control.

"All right, then!" the slaver growled. "Who's next?"

The crowd was angered that she had no bidding.  _Apparently, what the Sultan wants, he always gets._  She was pushed into a crowd of guards and led into the palace. She was taken straight into a side door that led to the harem room and given to servants.

"This one is beautiful!" a girl said.

"Look at her hair! We shall pretty her up good!" an older woman said. Saithe said nothing when they dressed her in their style of clothing. A two piece, gold silk pants and bikini top was all they needed to put her in. The pants were billowing and cut along the edges of both sides to allow air flow. They dressed her in jewels and painted her face accordingly. When they stepped back to look at their handy work, they nodded with definite approval. They took her into the main room of the harem and left her.

"Well, well, look at what the Sultan brought us!" a girl smirked by the window. Saithe glowered. Another walked up to her to sneer. Saithe slapped her away. The girl shrieked in pain, and the others stood up with fury.

"You think you can tell us what to do?!" another beauty sneered.

"All I have to do is sing," Saithe grinned. They all paused at Saithe's calm tone of voice. They were used to the new girls being panicked into submission. There were at least twenty girls here. All of them were stupid and lazy.

"I am the best singer here!" the first girl said. "Listen to me!"

Saithe listened and showed no emotions. The girl was horribly off-key, and, if she was the best one here, the rest had nothing to back her up with. When the girl finished, Saithe thought. She was clearly unimpressed.

"Not bad, but I can do better!" she grinned. She sang and her Siren's voice infected them all. They were hypnotized and completely under her control. When she finished, she began to ask questions. "Who is the real one in charge here?"

"The Sultan's sorceress, Kali, is the one. She scares us all with her dark enchantments," a girl whispered. "We don't know where she hails from."

"Does she have a weakness?" Saithe asked.

"Not that we know of. All who go up to her chamber is never heard from again," another girl shuddered. "When she comes down here, she takes one of us that have no further value to the Sultan. We try to stop her, but she kills those who disobey."

"I see. One of you will go to the Sultan. Tell him that the new girl does not belong in a harem. Tell him that she is too beautiful and puts the rest of you to shame!" Saithe snapped. The girl by the window nodded and rose. Apparently, she was the leader in this room. Several minutes later, she came back and was accompanied by several guards. The guards were stunned by Saithe's beauty and took a few moments to remember where they were.

"The Sultan wants to see you," a guard said to Saithe. She shrugged and followed them. She was pushed somewhat roughly before the fat man. She snarled with disgust when he drooled over her.

"Suspend her in a golden cage where I can always see her!" he smiled. She growled and trembled with rage.  _He was going to use me as a display piece for his friends?!_ Then she grinned.  _I'll plant the seeds of mistrust and jealousy into the hearts of any that gaze at me._  A cage was brought, and she was placed on the silk pillows. She was suspended in midair, and the chain was locked into place. She grumbled at her new fate.

"Surely she needs food and water," an adviser said.

"Ah, yes. She will need them," the Sultan nodded. She shook her head at everything offered to her. The Sultan grew angry when the best food and drink he had was declined. Finally he sulked, "She will not eat!"

He looked at Saithe and froze when she locked her eyes with his. She grinned at the man when he shook with fear. She had learned long ago that, if she concentrated hard enough, she could let a shadow whisper softly into the minds of others. Her father was greatly impressed at her skill.

"What is it?!" the adviser asked. "Maybe I should get Kali!"

"No!" the Sultan said. "If you do, I'll never see my beautiful harem girl again! I have a feeling I know what this girl eats."

"You do?" the adviser asked. When the Sultan whispered into his ear, the other man paled and stared at the suspended girl.

"You will get her this required, yet strange diet!" the Sultan said. "Do it now!"

The adviser nodded and left. Saithe was amused to find that the Sultan was the only fat one there.  _The others were skinnier than sticks!_  Within minutes, a tray was suspended to her on a pole. It had a goblet of blood and a large heart on a plate. She smiled and took the tray. She sniffed both of the foods first before finding them safe to eat. Her father was very vigilant about that after her last feeding incident. When she finished, she placed the tray on the pole and it was lowered.

"What do you wish now?" the adviser asked.

"Contact my friends and family! They must see what I have acquired!" the Sultan giggled. The adviser nodded and sent out the messages. She growled in thought. She smiled.  _Tonight, I will rescue my husband._  When the room was empty, she sent shadows everywhere to scour for the sorceress.  _The bitch was away on prompt business._  She growled again.  _I have to rescue Horny now._ She sang and summoned a harem girl. She locked eyes with the simple, frail creature, and the girl was swallowed in the darkness of her gaze.

"Release me!" Saithe spat. "Then have your little friends distract the guards and Sultan while I go to help my mate!"

The girl could not release her alone and called others over to help. Saithe was dropped a little harshly to the ground, and the cage was opened. They screamed with fright at the sight of Shade appearing in the room, and they scattered to do their errands. Saithe was led up to the top tower by her father and was stopped by an enchantment of cold. He smiled at her scowling fury.

"Hatred is also cold," Shade said with a grin. Saithe nodded and made her heart numb to the world. She passed through with no problems. There were more enchantments, and Shade told her how to go through each one. He had studied the sorceress to perfection. When she finally reached the tower room, she walked up to Horny's crystal prison.

"What is this?" she frowned.

"He is encased in a shield of the purest light. I don't know how to free him," Shade said sadly. "The shadows cannot even get close enough to find a weakness."

"I think I have an idea," Saithe smiled. "I need to encase Horny in darkness again. Watch me!"

Shade watched his daughter remove the decorative jewels from her long locks of hair, and she tossed her hair over the crystal prison. Her hair began to suck in the light eagerly until no light shone through. It was then that her hair became a mass of tendrils, and, even then, they seemed to move with a life of their own. They swarmed over the prison to drink at the light until her hair had found the form of Horny. When she pulled her hair back, she sat on the ground with Horny's head in her lap.

"Amazing," Shade whispered. He watched Saithe bite her wrist open savagely and press the spurting veins into Horny's slackened mouth. At the taste of her blood, he began to drink deeply. When she was sure that much of his hunger was finally sated, she pulled her wrist from him, and Shade healed the damage.

"Saithe," Horny whispered weakly. She shook her head softly, since his whisper was like a faded echo. A tear fell from her eye and landed on his cheek. It rolled off his face and made him snap his eyes open completely. His eyes had a dull glow and not the fully bright glow they once held. He began to breathe in ragged gasps as though it was a torment to even breathe normally.

"I'm here, my love," Saithe whispered back. She gazed into his eyes, and he groaned with a primal need of her. He was too weak to move, and he trembled.

"I know I worried you," he said. "That sorceress bitch tricked me with her enchantments! She made me feel that I was under threat. That you were under threat. That I had to seek her out to stop her, but it was only a lure. She wore your figure, but I remembered what you said.

"Her gaze did nothing to me, and she thwarted all of my attacks! She cast numerous charm spells on me, but they did nothing. My heart was already claimed by you. When she realized I wasn't falling for her form, she said that if she couldn't have me then I was better off dead! When I turned to leave, she trapped me in this prison. Only after it was done did she realize that she could not remove the spell when she wanted to be with me. When I began to starve, she decided to try and preserve my figure so that she could gaze at me whenever she wanted!"

"She will not live after this day!" Saithe snarled. "I shall slaughter her with glee!"

"Saithe, my life, my strength," he breathed when he looked at her. "You are everything to me!"

"I'm going to have my Father take you home so you can eat and rest," Saithe said. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to have some fun of my own!"

"I..." Horny started, but he stopped when she gazed down at him. He trembled with need again when she kissed him thoroughly.

"Wait for  _me_  this time," she whispered to him, as she stroked his gaunt cheek with a gentle forefinger. He managed to snarl fiercely, but he knew he was out of his league. He was simply too weak. She beckoned to her father, and Shade nodded. He touched Horny's wrist, and they both vanished back with the help of the shadows. Now that the palace was fully explored, it was easy to do. Most of that was the Keeper's doing. The powerful entity had built a path under the palace to make trekking easier. Even the Keeper knew that losing a prized Horned Reaper could be bad news.

"Now," she snarled, as she stood up. She ripped off the filmy garments, and the shadows brought her armor to her. She let her hair cover her back, and she grew her wings out underneath the black cloak. She stood in Horny's spot and grinned. She waited patiently for several hours. Her rage was fueled with fury.  _I will feast well on the sorceress's heart._

"My demonic creature," she heard a silvery voice ring out. "I have come back..."

"Indeed?" Saithe growled, as she turned to face the enemy. The sorceress stared at her. She was confused.

"Where is my demon?!" she snarled.

"You would dare to call him  _your_  demon? That demon is my husband! And he's back at home where he belongs!"

"Impossible! No one could undo that crystal!"

"Well, I did. Love conquers all, as they say!" Saithe hissed, as she studied the sorceress. The woman had dark brown skin, black hair, and brown eyes. She had an amply curved figure that was covered in heavy silks with runic stitching. Saithe growled and let her wings appear from their hiding spot in her hair. Her tail lashed out viciously.

"You are not human!" Kali gasped. "You took my demon from me!"

"As I said before," Saithe snarled. "Horny is my husband, and I love him dearly. You are going to die for interfering with our lives!"

"Hah! We shall see how good you fight!" she spat back. The woman locked eyes with Saithe and realized her mistake. Kali fell into the eternal darkness of Saithe's eyes and could not tear her gaze from her. Apparently, Kali would lock her eyes with those that were weaker than her. Saithe had overpowered her gaze by a tenfold.

"Such a pity. I expected you to know that you should never lock eyes with true evil!" Saithe smiled coldly. She noticed Shadowsbane looking in from the window. He wanted a piece of the action. The dragon had known Horny for many years and wanted to make sure his tormentor was dead, as well. Saithe gave a slight nod at the dragon, grinned, and moved towards the sorceress. She was slightly disappointed that she wouldn't have Kali's heart, but it didn't matter as long as the bitch was dead.

"That demon was to be with me!" Kali screamed. "I had a vision that he would keep me from death!"

"Don't you realize that a dream like that only means the opposite?!" Saithe smiled. "When you dream of evil, it tells you what to stay  _away_  from! Not to bring it into your home!"

"I...I..." the sorceress faltered. "Then the other vision I had this morning of being sucked into darkness..."

"My gaze into your eyes can do that," Saithe grinned coldly.

"I see...another vision...one that I have dreamt of before!" Kali gasped. "If I saw it again, I know it will be the end of me!"

"And what was that vision?" Saithe asked calmly.

"Large teeth came down upon me..." she whispered. "But, in order for that to happen, the creature would have to be big..."

"Like the black dragon behind you?" Saithe laughed. Kali gasped and looked behind her fearfully. The dragon howled and screeched with anger.

"Impossible!" the sorceress said with disbelief.

" _I hunger! Come closer to the window, please. I want to know you better!_ " Shadowsbane seethed. Kali was in shock that the dragon could speak.

"You should have left my husband alone!" Saithe hissed and ran up to Kali. The sorceress dodged her and began to back away towards the room's exit. She turned and stared at the mob of harem girls that walked into the room. They sneered at her, and Saithe laughed again. The sorceress screamed, as they pushed her towards the window. When the girls began to circle her, the sorceress whispered a spell of power. The girls ended up dying in agony at her feet. Saithe snorted and charged at the woman. When the sorceress turned to fight back, she was shoved into the dragon's mouth. With a loud crunch and a gulp, Kali was finished.

" _Delicious!_ " Shadowsbane said, as he licked his muzzle clean. " _Can I plunder now? I saw the most wonderful huts that were filled with so much treasure!_ "

"Wait. I want to find out what she did with those other girls that she brought up here," Saithe said, as she began to scour the room. She found a locked door, and the shadows crumbled it for her. What she found was interesting. _The sorceress was keeping the other girls for herself. They were all naked and chained up like animals._

" _Interesting secret, isn't it?_ " Shadowsbane snickered.

"So I see. What a disgusting little bitch she was!" Saithe snarled. But, then she thought with a dreamy smile. "However, it is a marvelous little smorgasbord."

The captives looked at her with hope, but then started screaming. Saithe was famished from her loss of blood and began to feast. There were at least fifteen girls in the room, and she killed every one of them. She licked her fingers clean after eating the last heart and grinned. She walked out of the room and smiled at the dragon.

" _What do you have in mind?_ " he asked.

"I'm going to pay the Sultan a visit. When I have secured his crown, do as you please!" she chuckled. The dragon nodded and flew off. She was impressed that he managed to keep from being seen by the palace guards in broad daylight. She wouldn't be surprised if her father helped with his illusions. With a hiss, she ran down the stairs and killed any person she encountered. Her tail would stab them through the back, as her gaze would paralyze her prey. She found the Sultan in his bed snoring. She smirked at the fat and lazy man. She took a pillow and threw it at him.

"W-what?!" he snorted, as he woke up. He saw her now, and his eyes glazed with lust. He didn't even realize that she was in her battle armor.

"I've come for you personally," she breathed. She backed away from him when he stood up to reach for her. Just as he was about to touch her, a large, curving blade of steel slid neatly around his throat.

"Now, tell me why you are reaching for my wife!" Horny snarled.

"P-please! Don't kill me! I'll give you anything! Women! Gold! Silks! Anything!" the Sultan pleaded. "Whatever you wish! It's yours!"

"Really? How about this whole palace?" Horny asked.

"Anything! You hear me?!"

"So, his soul is also accounted for!" Saithe grinned. The Sultan shuddered when she reached up and took his regal plumed hat. The puffy silk hat was encrusted with gems, and she nodded with approval. She called for her father and gave him the hat. Shade nodded and vanished with it. Horny laughed and pulled the scythe straight back. The fat man's head severed neatly and rolled on the ground. He pushed the Sultan's body aside, and it fell to the ground, as well.

Right after that, Horny fell silent and looked at Saithe. Her eyes raked his body as his gaze raked hers. They had been apart for far too long. When she removed the illusions her father put on her, Horny gasped at the wreck she had become. He was going to ask questions, but he stopped. Something told him that they would be answered soon enough. She gave a hard swallow and whispered, "You heal rather quickly."

"Thanks to you," he said huskily, as he removed his belt and pulled her close to him. She trembled and pushed her face against his neck.

"One month," she said. "It was a whole month that you were taken from me!"

"A month?!" he said with disbelief. "Saithe...I had no idea..."

"Look at me, Horny! I'm a nervous wreck! I couldn't sleep, I barely ate, I couldn't think..."

"I'm here now," he whispered and kissed her hungrily. She groaned with a violent, soul-twisting need, and Horny ripped her armor off her. He pushed her onto the silk bed and took her. She felt his body tremble, and his heat spread through her.

"You've got to be kidding!" she gasped when he licked her neck.

"A month to catch up on," he grumbled, and he took her again. A terrified servant ran into the room and gaped at his master's head on the ground. Shade came up from behind and stabbed him in the back.

"Thank you!" Saithe said, as Horny looked up and growled furiously at the intrusion. When Shade vanished, Horny pushed Saithe on top of him and began to thrust into her. She let out her cries when he released himself again and rolled onto his side with her. At that, he cradled her close and sighed. When he looked at her again, she was in a deep sleep. He had no idea that she was that exhausted.

"Horny," Shade said, as he approached them. "I need to take you both back. Shadowsbane is ready to loot and destroy this place."

"Take us home then, but be quiet about it!" he snarled.

"You have my word," Shade nodded and waited for Horny to stand with Saithe in his arms. He reached out to touch Horny and his daughter to take them away.


	24. Chapter 24

The darkness swirled around them both, and they found themselves on the floor of the dungeon. The Keeper placed Horny and Saithe into their lair. Another immense shower of gold filled the room, and Horny smiled with a touch of amusement.  _I was missed not only by Saithe._ Horny decided to sit in his throne with her in his lap. He didn't want to lay down with her just yet. She grumbled in her sleep, but quieted when he hugged her to his chest. Her armor appeared in a heap on the floor, and his belt was on top of it all. The shadows stored the gold with the rest of the stash in Saithe's bed.

He looked down at Saithe's sleeping form and shook his head.  _I was gone for a month. It was almost like I deserted her._

"I didn't know what to expect," he muttered to himself. "Saithe was right. I should have looked into it first before going off on my own. All of this could have been avoided. That light crystal really distorted time."

He sat still for another hour and passed the time by gazing at her. He had never needed anyone like her, and the thought of her suffering had actually shamed him. He growled and swore to make it up to her. She woke with a jolt at his grumbling, and she had to blink her eyes to realize he was with her again.

"I'm not dreaming?" she whispered.

"When have you needed to?" he asked. She trembled and placed her arms around his neck. He grunted, but he hugged her back. He couldn't blame her. He felt something tickling down his chest, and he looked down at her. She was crying with relief. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. He called for a servant.

"Yes?" a scrawny zombie said when he walked in.

"Get me the dragon when you can," Horny said. "I think I may take another vacation. It sounds like something that is needed right now."

The servant nodded and walked off. He felt Saithe tremble again, and he began to lick her neck. He tasted her tears as they dripped down her skin, and he longed to clean them off her for good. She gasped when he worked his way down her chest, and he grunted when she grabbed his horns.

"Ah! It is so good to see you back! Oh..." the Priest said when he walked in. Horny looked up and snarled violently. The Priest gaped at the scene.

"What is it?!" he snapped.

"I, ah, just have another potion for her," the old man said.

"Trash it! I'm not going to have her drink another one," he snorted.

"What?!" the Priest asked.

"You heard me! Now leave us!" Horny growled. The Priest bowed and ran off.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take it?" Saithe asked. Horny looked at her and grinned with a bit of a chuckle.

"I am quite sure. I think we are at that point in time that we should think of a little expansion. Don't you think?" he asked. She kissed him hard and pulled on his horns. He moved his mouth to lick her neck again when she positioned herself to straddle him. He groaned when she slid onto him, and he let his hands roam over her back. Then he locked onto her hips to pull her down even more on him.

"I missed you so much!" she gasped when he moved her. "I never want to be away from you again!"

"To think that I actually found myself missed," he mused. "I will never make you worry about me again."

"I...doubt that!" she panted. She arched her back, and he licked wherever his tongue could reach. After another minute, she cried out at his heat, and he clutched her to him. He felt her heart pounding in her chest. He pressed himself into her with a harsh grunt of relief. He looked around and managed to reach for his scythe. He looked around again and killed a wandering chicken. He set his scythe down and tore the little body in half. He smeared blood on her and yanked the heart out. He fed her the heart and began to lick the blood off her.

"What...are you doing?!" she gasped.

"I have decided to try and make it up to you!" he grinned and began to lick off blood in places he missed. Before long, she sat up and began to nip his skin gently. He gasped at her with surprise, and he lost himself when she slammed herself down in his lap. He licked off any sweat that began to form, and he pushed her hair away from her face. She finally managed to smile and put her cheek on his breast. He snorted and found himself glaring in the doorway. He was slightly relieved that the intruder couldn't see anything, since Saithe's hair covered them both.

"Who...?" she frowned, but Horny's growl showed he was in control.

"What do you want, Mistress?!" he snapped. He felt Saithe stiffen up with anger, but he licked her cheek gently.

"I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're back," the Mistress said stiffly. "This place was not the same without you."

"Fine. Anything else?" he grunted. The woman sighed and walked off.

"She has not forgiven me?" Saithe snickered.

"Of course, she hasn't!" Horny scowled. "How can she?"

Saithe shook her head and rested again. Horny sensed something else and grunted at Shade's form. The Shadow Demon bowed his head respectfully.

"Shadowsbane has uncovered a large amount of wealth. The Imps are extracting it now. There is another castle to the west that has gained my interest immensely."

"Really? What's so interesting?"

"It is ruled by a prince that is searching for a girl to marry. I was thinking if we dressed Saithe up like one of those foreign harem girls that it would do rather nicely," Shade grinned. "The human has some very strange tastes, too. My shadows are finding out more. I'll tell you what I can."

"Good. In the meantime, I'm going to have that dragon find another island for Saithe and I. I owe it to her after this horrible show of not coming home when I said I was going to. I'm also thinking of a little personal expansion. I guess it can wait a little longer, since another castle has been spotted."

"Not much longer, hopefully!" Saithe snorted. "If that's the case, where is the Priest's potion?"

"I convinced him to let me talk to you first before anything was done with it," Shade grinned and gave her the vial. She downed it and nodded when she felt it work.

"My Lord, the dragon is here," the servant said. Horny nodded and saw Shadowsbane's large eye peeking in through the doorway.

" _Something you require?_ " the dragon asked.

"Yes. Do you know of another island?" Horny asked. The dragon thought and nodded. Shade looked at him with a smile and vanished.

" _I do have one in mind. When did you want to go?_ "

"I want to leave now," Horny growled.

" _I shall be waiting outside_ ," the dragon rumbled. Horny watched Shadowsbane leave and hugged Saithe tightly.

"Another island to destroy?" she grinned. He chuckled and looked up to glare at an Imp. The creature shrieked from an invisible slap and ran off. Saithe giggled.

"I believe it is time that we departed again," Horny grinned. He released Saithe for her to dress, and he put his belt back on. He grabbed her and threw her onto his shoulder. She growled and spat. He grinned again and walked towards the main doors. He was stopped by Justin.

"What?!" Horny snarled.

"I know of the next castle," Justin said with a menacing grin. "My sister rules there as queen. My brother was to meet her for some sort of reunion. They were going to discuss possible trade routes to other castles."

"Really? Other castles?" Horny mused and scratched his chin. "We'll discuss this further when I get back."

Justin bowed and watched Horny leave with Saithe. Shadowsbane shook with laughter at the sight of Saithe. Horny set her down so she could settle onto the dragon's neck. Saithe growled at the dragon's laughter, and he grunted when she kicked him in the neck. Horny pulled her down and spanked her.

"OW!" she screamed. "What was that for?!"

"Do not make our ride disabled!" he snarled and shoved her back onto the dragon's back. She scowled at him and glowered with fury when Shadowsbane laughed again. Horny got up behind her and pulled her tightly to his chest. When they took off into flight, she gasped when Horny began move his hands over her skin, and he whispered in her ear, "Ever try doing it in mid-flight?"

" _Hey!_ " Shadowsbane snarled. " _I'll have none of that going on! I don't want my scales fouled! Don't even think about it!_ "

"You know, I think it would be a wonderful experience," Saithe grinned.

" _I'll dump you both into a swamp if you dare!_ " the dragon snarled again. Horny smiled and made Saithe turn to face him. He pulled up his belt and made her do the same. She narrowed her eyes with a smile when she saw him gasp with surprise. He did not expect her to massage him with her hands.

"Why you little..." he growled and pulled her into his lap. She arched her back when he shoved himself into her. He licked her lips before kissing her in a frantic movement. She groaned and began to move with him when he began to grope her. Her senses were even further heightened when she felt the dragon's muscles moving beneath them in flight. She cried out when Horny reached his limit and spread his heat within her. He hugged her and gave her a deep kiss. He didn't even bother to release her when Shadowsbane landed a bit roughly.

He looked around and saw the giant waterfall crashing down into the large pool of water. He smiled and nodded with approval.

" _I can't believe the two of you!_ " the dragon spat. " _There is a cave behind the waterfall. I used to come here to relax, so, please, try not to destroy all the life on this island! I don't mind letting you use it as a private retreat._ "

"This place is beautiful!" Saithe gasped. The moon was still full, and its reflection rippled across the water. He watched the dragon leave after they dismounted, and he carried her to the foot of the waterfall. When he walked into the cave, torches lit up to light the darkness.

"Very nice. Already magically enchanted. He truly did come here to rest up, didn't he?" Horny mused. "We'll honor his request and not do too much harm here."

"I see he left his own stash here, as well," Saithe said, as they came to a chamber filled with more wealth.

"All dragons need to sleep on something."

"And what about us?" she grinned. He set her down and grumbled. He found a bolt of silk and searched around for something else. He found a stalagmite that was rather large and located a gold pillar in a different corner. He pulled the pillar over to the rock formation and managed to make a hammock.

"I think this should work," he grunted.

"Should we try it out?" she asked casually. He smiled and chuckled.

"I want you to dance for me first. I saw that outfit you were in at the palace, and I would like to see you wear something like that again."

"Are you kidding?!" she asked. "I can't make clothing like that!"

"Then learn!" he snarled and shoved the rest of the silk into her hands. She glared at him, and he fell to his knees when he lost himself in her gaze. He growled when she grabbed his horns and kissed him.

"You think a dragon like him would have seen the world, right?" she asked.

"Maybe," he shrugged, as she kissed him again.

"Let me look around a little. If I don't see anything, I'll try and make some clothes. Is that a deal?"

"A deal with me?" he asked dangerously. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Why not?" she grinned. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, and his lips spread into a savage grin at her wonderful choice of words.

"Indeed, I do," he said. "I love fucking the daylights out of you!"

"Then you might as well make a deal with me. If I can't make an appropriate garment for you, you get to rip it off, fuck me, then make me make another one to your liking!" she grinned. He looked at her and hissed with an uncontrolled lust.

"You have five minutes to look around! Be quick about it!" he growled, as he sat down on a pile of gold coins. She walked around and searched thoroughly. She came upon a wardrobe lined with gold, and she smiled with triumph. She opened it and gasped at the variety of clothes it held. He watched her pull out an immense, full length black corset dress lined in deep burgundy and set with opals the size of his thumb. She pulled out more fantastic dresses, and he smiled.  _She had just found the perfect costume closet._  At the very bottom, she pulled out a light purple harem suit with silver trim. She put it on and even found a veil to wear on her face.

This particular harem suit gave her more cleavage than she would have dared and clung to her hips like a second skin. It billowed out at the legs like the other suit she wore, and the slits went from the ankle to her thigh. The veil was a filmy line of silk that fit right over her nose to only expose her eyes. It was a highly dramatic feature. When she walked towards Horny with batting eyes and a half smile on her face, his eyes widened, and he grinned wickedly.

"Think this will work?" she crooned. When she swung her hips, he trembled.

"Dance for me," he whispered. She smiled and obliged with glee. He studied the way the silk pants seemed to have a double set of cloth to cover a part of her rear and most of her front. When she arched her back, he clenched his fists at the sight of her firm breasts tightening the bust line of the top. When her dance got faster, he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her curves. She finished when she fell to her knees and placed her body in an arched worship position before him. She looked up at him and blinked her eyes with a smile. She was breathing heavily from the exercise, but she knew it was worth it.

"Do you approve, My Lord?" she said with a husky whisper. He said nothing, but he did get up and strip off his armor in a smooth movement.

"Let me tell you," he said in a low, dangerous tone. "if I approve or not in my own manner of speech!"

She gasped when he tugged her to him and kissed her. He ripped off the silk and carried her to the hammock. He groaned when she clung to him by grabbing onto his horns. She smiled and began to sing to him. His mouth dropped and all thoughts of resolve left him. He became a beast with only the thought of mating the banshee in his arms his primary concern. She screamed with pleasure when he rammed himself inside her and began to squeeze her breasts with his hands. Her skulls pressed against the insides of his palms, and he snorted with determination. She tugged hard on his horns, and he began to pant. He hissed when his control began to slip again. She was still screaming when he started to thrust harder. He began to groan when he felt himself reaching his peak limit, and he licked down her neck. She cried out sharply at his release, and he was gasping for air.

They couldn't say anything to each other, but he did hug her tightly. He managed to move so that she was lying on his chest, and he found it slightly difficult to get comfortable in the hammock. She heard his grumbling, and she looked at him.

"Do you want me to look around for another suitable sleeping spot?" she asked.

"No...well..." he grumbled. She kissed him and managed to escape the hammock. She looked around the pile of treasure and found another cave leading off to a smaller room. She walked into it and giggled with her find.

"Horny!" she called out. "I found something!"

"Hmm?" he asked. He got out of the hammock and walked over to her. He stood at the entrance and grinned.  _She had found a room full of soft, fur skins._ _Apparently, Shadowsbane raided trading caravans and stored much of his stock in the room._  She pulled out a large wolf pelt and laid it on the ground. She found others like it and piled them on top of each other. When the pile was several inches off the ground, she laid down on it and stretched. Horny smiled and managed to lay down with her. He pulled her close to him, and she snuggled into the crook of his arm.

"I think we can rest for a few hours. Don't you think?" he asked, as he let his free hand wander over her skin.

"I think that sleep is needed by both of us right now," she said with a yawn. "We'll hunt for food later."

"Rest now," he nodded to her and got comfortable. She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes. He felt her body relax and heard her breathe evenly. He was wide awake, and a tremor of emotions shook through him.  _How could I leave her alone after all that has happened to us?_   _I'm pretty sure that, if I left her alone again, something was going to happen. It never failed._  She was a magnet for danger, but he gave a lazy smile when that danger led to another victorious battle.  _I killed for her before, and I'll do it again in a heartbeat. If she told me to slaughter her own father, oh, I'm fairly sure I'd do it for her. I came close to it, anyways._

He thought about her recent dance, and he trembled with a renewed lust.  _I will never get my fill of her. She is everything to me and more when I am with her. She is perfect and flawless in face and form. Her gentle looks are only a distraction for her cold-hearted interior._ He grinned when he knew that she would only be gentle towards those she cared for. He knew it was only her father and himself. He snorted at nothing and let other thoughts run through his mind.

"Why are you still awake?" Saithe whispered, as she looked at him.

"Just thinking about things," he grumbled. "It's hard to sleep when you've been away from someone for so long."

"Horny," she breathed and pulled her face up to his. They kissed deeply, and she pressed his face into her neck. She pushed her hair away from her face, and he smelled her blood with alarm. He realized she had scratched her neck open, and he began to lick the wound closed. He closed his eyes, as he listened to her frantic thoughts of how worried she was when he didn't come back to her. He learned how she barely slept and ate. He realized how important he was to her. He helped keep her health in check, and he knew that, if he died on her, she would have killed herself. He licked the wound completely closed, and he hugged her tightly.

"Saithe, Saithe," he whispered her name several times more. "I would never hurt you purposely unless it was planned or deserved. I honestly had no clue as to how long I was gone! The light was blinding to me and obscured all forms of vision! I was surprised I saw your father in the window when I did. It was as though his shadows cleared away the blinding light for just a second for me to know that I was found and help was coming. You have no idea how happy I was for that moment. When the light returned, I found my strength draining. I was horribly famished beyond belief, and, if I wasn't frozen, I would have been collapsing to the ground. I almost think I would have died if I was in that crystal another day."

"Don't say that you were going to die!" she hissed. "I would never let you get that close to death!"

"Well, you'd probably raise my corpse," he shrugged. He grunted when she punched his side angrily.

"It's not the same!" she spat. "A corpse is a cold dead thing that only does what it's told! You are a living, breathing wave of fire that is mine to command and love."

"So I still do what you tell me to do?" he asked with a glare.

"Only when it's important. Why else do you think I hate everyone else? They expect me to tell them what to do!"

"And what am I to do now?"

"I don't know!" she grumbled and stood up. He sat up and looked at her with confusion. Then his mouth gaped at the blood that leaked from between her thighs.

"What is that?!" he hissed and pointed. She looked down at the trail of blood.

"Shit!" she spat and ran out to the pool. He got up with alarm and followed her.

"What is that?" he asked again. She grumbled now, and he realized she was in pain. She was clearly not happy.

"Haven't you ever learned of what a woman's monthly symptoms are when she isn't pregnant? What normally happens when it doesn't occur? I should have experienced this sooner with you, but with aborted pregnancies...it may have been pushed back, I think. Only other reason."

"What?" he asked in a puzzled tone. She laughed at his confusion, and he looked at her with surprise again.  _She was clearly not acting like herself._  She explained what was happening to her, and he snarled with fury.

"So, I'm going to have to put up with mood swings the whole week?!" he growled. "Some vacation this turned out to be!"

"We'll see how you can handle me!" she smiled before wincing at her cramps. He became concerned at it, and he called to the shadows. He called for Shade.

"Yes?" the Shadow Demon said when he appeared. Horny explained what was going on, and the Shadow Demon laughed like mad.

"Go to the Priest and get something for her to make this stop!" he snarled.

"I'll do what I can!" Shade said with merriment. He vanished away, and Horny walked into the water to hold Saithe.

"I'm sorry, Horny," she sighed. "I lost track of my time clock, and I forgot all about it. Like I said before, I can only suggest that this happened from all the pregnancies I was getting from you. When you get me pregnant, it puts everything in my body on hold. It's pushed back."

"Maybe you should have stayed pregnant," he grunted.

"Actually, the mood swings get worse," she grinned. "You'll think this is pleasant conversation until I get pissed off! As they always said in the village, there is nothing like a pissed off pregnant woman on a rampage!"

"Really?" he asked with a bewildered tone. "Humph. Now I have mixed feelings about you getting pregnant or staying on your cycle!"

She laughed and splashed him lightly. His heated skin had actually made the water steam slightly in minutes, and they had a hot bath. He smiled at the feeling of her wet skin sliding over his, and he pulled her close to him.

"I have something from the Priest," Shade said when he reappeared.

"Good. What is it?" Horny grunted, as he began to lick Saithe's neck.

"It's a potion that will reduce Saithe's bleeding to a minimum and remove the cramps. It can't really help her mood swings, but, if she's not in pain or pissed off, she will be fine," Shade said and placed the vial on the edge of the water. Saithe grew out her tail, and it stretched out. She snatched up the vial and brought it over to her. She drank it and nearly gagged from the taste.

"It's not blood?" Horny asked.

"It has some blood in it so Saithe can at least keep it in her system. I'll take my leave now. I'm learning even more about the other castle, and it appears to be promising. There is much that is unfolding for us."

"Good. Keep us posted," Horny said, as the demon vanished. He looked over at Saithe and saw her breathing a sigh of relief. The cramps had been taken care of completely. He watched her for another moment and looked around.  _Should I hunt and leave her here? The dragon's lair should be well protected and nothing should come to harm her._ He was actually having doubts.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You're going to get hungry. I'm going to hunt for us. You remain here. Shadowsbane should have put many protective wards on this site, and you should be safe in this area," Horny said in thought.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked with curiosity. He nodded and gave her a surprisingly gentle kiss before heading out of the water. He dried, as he walked off, and she watched the way his fiery footfalls burned their marks into the ground. She sighed and got out of the pool to find something in the lair to dress herself with. She smiled slightly with surprise.  _The potion that I took appeared to fully remove the bleeding. It didn't just minimize it._  That was a relief, but who knew how long it would last.

As she picked out a simple dress of soft leather, she heard some strange noises outside the mouth of the cave. They were almost like a chanting with a rattling combination. She slowly walked outside and found herself ambushed by dark-skinned men in animal skins. She hissed and fought back, calling to the shadows for aid. When the shadows came to help her, they made illusions before the eyes of the humans that monsters were coming to kill them. The only thing that she didn't plan on was, instead of them releasing her, they fled with her.

Her shadows followed them and tried to get them to release her. It was then that she realized the shadows couldn't kill anything unless she was safe. As long as she was caught, they could only threaten and not harm. She screamed shrilly and doubled her efforts at trying to escape them, but they were hunters. They were used to handling prey that would kick and scream in violent throes. They took her to their village where firelight drove away her shadows. In one last effort, she had them send for Horny. They would retrieve her father, if Horny seemed to be outnumbered.

The strange men tied her to some kind of a tree and backed away. She screamed again and tried to work through her bonds of rough leather. She paused when she noticed an old man walking towards her with a sense of purpose. He was stooped and used a walking stick decorated with feathers. An animal skull was attached to the top of it, and he wore heavy furs. His bald head was adorned with long, colorful feathers and had one giant sapphire attached in the center.

As he walked up to her, she snarled and bared her fangs. With a fearful glance he backed away quickly and rose up one old hand. As he prepared to speak, she grew out her black wings and tail. He stared at her fearfully, as she hissed and glared at him. When he felt himself grow paralyzed in her eyes, he spoke in a trembling voice to his tribal men. They screamed in response and advanced on her with their spears drawn. She hissed silently and moved her gaze around to the others. Then she grinned and began to sing in her haunting voice.

The men were spellbound by the sound, and, when she stopped singing, they just stared at her. The silence was broken by Horny's savage scream for blood. The elder cried out sharply to the tribal men and everyone scattered. Horny bellowed, as he entered the clearing, and he found the old man cowering. When the man spoke, Horny paused. He understood his strange dialect. After a few moments, the two of them conversed. When Horny pointed to Saithe, the old man nodded and had his men release her.

She snarled and prepared to lunge at them, but Horny was expecting this. He jumped to her side and held her still.

"It's all right. These men are the protectors of this island. Shadowsbane brought them here, himself. They are savages and did not know who we were. You don't have to worry about them anymore."

"Like Hell I don't!" she seethed. As she looked at the old man again, he was perplexed. He was listening to the way she spoke and was trying hard to understand it. Horny spoke with him again at length, and the old man nodded.

"Let's go now. They will hunt for us. This way I won't have to leave you alone," he said. She glared at him, but nodded slightly. As she was leaving, she looked around the encampment once more and noticed one man that appeared to stand out from the others. There was some kind of light in his eyes that unnerved her, and she felt some kind of feeling that all was not completely well. She knew that Horny was going to be with her, and that was what mattered.

He led her back to the cave, and he paused. He heard the old man calling to speak with him. He looked at Saithe and back at the old man. He clearly did  _not_  want to be disturbed, but, if he wanted to keep these savages under control, then he had to speak with the elder. He nuzzled Saithe's neck lightly and trudged over to him. When she watched him, she noticed something moving in the bushes. Her senses fully awake, and her mood ready for blood, she approached it slowly. The man who disturbed her senses from the village was waiting for her.

He was short and stocky, yet well-muscled from hunting in the underbrush. He had a bow and arrow with him instead of a spear. He appeared to be like one of the men she encountered here so far, but it was his eyes that bothered her. They were far too intelligent for the standards she had seen, and she was highly aware that her mind was screaming for her to retreat. Yet, it was that very notion that made her curious as to why he had come here to see her. If he was curiosity, and she was a cat, she would kill the curiosity before it killed her.

"I understand speech," he said slowly, as he watched her.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"Talk," he said slowly. He glanced at Horny with the elder and looked back at her. She studied him and merely smiled. She'll kill him if he hurt her.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"You eat hearts...yes?" he asked slowly.

"I do. Why?"

"Animal not far from here. Big one. We kill together?" he asked slowly.

"No."

"Why?"

"I will not leave Horny's side."

"Red demon not care. You safe now. Come hunt?"

She knew this was a trap.  _It had to be._  She narrowed her eyes in thought and sent a shadow off to her father. She will be watched and protected in any form. When she felt her father watching her, she gave a slight nod to the man. He smiled and nodded back. The man told her the creature they were hunting was massive and very mean. She thought and figured that, if it was evil by nature, it could be used as a weapon for war instead of killed. She followed the man, and he led her to a mountainside. She was considerably far from Horny, and she began to worry a little. She sent a shadow off to tell him where she was. When she still felt the eyes of her father on her, she felt some relief at it.

She followed the man a little more, and he brought her to a clearing. She paused and stopped at the edge of it. Something didn't feel right, and she refused to go any further. There was something that clearly screamed that danger was ahead.

"How much farther?" she asked cautiously.

"Beast not far. Come?" the man asked.

"No. This place...is not safe for me," she hissed. The man started to laugh and nodded at her. Then her eyes widened, as his form shifted and grew into that of another Shadow Demon. He looked much like her father, except he was smaller and not as handsome. His eyes were tinged with red, and his wings not as impressive as her own.

"Welcome to my home, Saithe," the demon grinned. "My name is Lyth. I'm so glad you followed me here."

"What do you want?!" she snapped.

"Did you know that whoever ate your heart would gain powers unlike any ever imagined? You eat the hearts of those you kill, but did you know that your powers grow just by doing that? Such a shame you don't know how to use them. But, if I ate your heart, I would gain them all!"

"And you know that you will not touch her!" Shade said, as he appeared next to her. "All that you said is a fable. It has never been proven!"

"Well, well...if it isn't my long lost brother! Such a wonder that you have made such an incredible thing. You do know that females of our kind are unheard of. To think that she even made it past the birth is incredible on its own! You also know that females are the only ones who grow stronger than males, but that's only if females were chosen and more common. Females are known to get out of control and reckless when it should be the males that do that. I'm surprised you haven't taught her how to fully control her powers yet, but that's not necessary now."

"Brother?" she looked at her father with ridicule. Shade glared back at her lightly, knowing not to look in her eyes directly.

"Of course, if she were to come to me as a bride...then that would be a different story," Lyth said silkily. "Even you know how desirable she is."

"She was meant for only one creature, and she has found him. The Horned Reaper is hers as she is his. You need to kill him before you can fully reach her," Shade said. "But, I'm not going to let you touch him."

"So, the alliance you spoke of is real now? How entertaining."

"Yes, it is. And, you should be careful of how you speak of my daughter."

"Hmm? Oh, her? The tramp at your side?" he glowered and laughed. Saithe tensed, but remained still. She refused to step foot into the clearing. She began to back away. As she did, Lyth summoned his own shadows to block her retreat, and Shade called his own to help her escape. Lyth snarled now as shadow fought shadow, each trying to consume the other to see who the victor would be. Lyth found himself gaining the upper hand, but all the shadows were killed when Horny appeared with his fiery tracks. The light of the flames kept the shadows at bay, and Shade seemed relieved at the sight of him.

"Saithe!" Horny shouted when he saw her. He looked over at the other Shadow Demon and snarled with rage. Shade pulled Saithe away from the clearing to a safe distance and looked over at Horny.

"This is my brother, Lyth. He is trying to kill Saithe to eat her heart," Shade said with a shrug. "The clearing he's in amplifies his power. If I walk into it, I would not be able to survive, since it's his shadows in there and not mine. They would kill me instantly, and they would have harmed Saithe if she walked into it. However, this clearing only works with those of the shadowed blood. I believe this is why Shadowsbane found this island. He is of a shadowed nature, himself, and probably charged his dark powers here while resting."

"Shadowsbane? That dead dragon?" Lyth laughed. Horny merely watched him as the sound of flapping was heard behind them.

" _Who is dead? Maybe undead...but not dead_ ," Shadowsbane snorted, as he approached the clearing with ease. " _And what are you doing on MY island?_ "

Lyth stared at the dragon and pointed at him with disbelief. His shadows informed him he was dead. He was now clearly confused about what he was told. The shadows did speak truth, but the dragon was now animated as undead. Yet, this was no skeletal dragon he was looking at. The black dragon had no rotting flesh revealed. The scales looked fresh and firmly attached the hide. The wings looked strong and the webbing intact. Then a thought hit him.  _This island_ did _belong to the dragon. If the dragon was here and had claimed this site first, would he still be able to control it?_  He glanced at Saithe. Despite wanting to eat her heart, she was quite a stunning creature to see. He refocused on his new threat.

"You were dead. I found this island available. In fact, you still are dead!" Lyth said with a renewed act of confidence.

" _That may be so. However, if the only way for me to get this island back is to kill you, then I must see to it, shouldn't I? And how can shadows kill something that is already dead, hmm? Or have you forgotten that?_ " the dragon hissed with laughter, as he stepped into the clearing. Shade watched his brother back away when the shadows refused his command. It was wrong enough for one Shadow Demon to fight another, but it was even worse for the shadows to try to kill something they could not kill. They abandoned Lyth completely to fend for himself.

Saithe watched Shadowsbane surround the clearing with fire. The light easily paralyzed Lyth in his own weakness.  _A Shadow Demon cannot move when surrounded by light._  Horny came up behind Saithe and slowly pulled her away. Shade remained with the dragon to make sure his brother was properly defeated.

"There is nothing more for us here," Horny said before looking at her when they were well away from the clearing. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm unharmed for the most part. I don't want to know what that was all about. I am a bit concerned, though," she said.

"About what?"

"Lyth said that, if someone else ate my heart, they would gain indescribable power. He also said that I barely know how to control mine. If what he says is true, and if others know of me, then I'm not safe anywhere."

He watched her and shook his head.  _I will not kill her for her heart, nor will I let anyone else attempt to try it._  He picked her up and cradled her, as he carried her back to the lair. She rested against him the whole time, and he kept his eyes alert for any form of movement. He grunted to himself, as he took her back into the room of furs, and lay her down on the small bed she made. He lay next to her and chuckled slightly when she crawled onto him to rest. He scowled at the leather dress she wore and moved her to rip it off before placing her back on him.

"How long do we plan to stay here?" she asked.

"Well, with the way things are currently going, not much longer. Unless Shadowsbane can fully safeguard this place, I refuse to remain on this island."

" _My choice of vacation places is not good enough? Even my own private retreat?_ " the dragon seemed to suppress feelings of hurt, as he peered into the room.

"Your private retreat nearly got my mate killed!" Horny snarled.

" _I spoke with the natives personally. They are glad to see me 'alive' and will make amends to what they have done. I have them setting about killing animals and bringing hearts here. They will leave them outside my lair for you to find. They did not know of Lyth or the form he had become to infiltrate among them. Shade made sure his brother was trapped effectively, as he gave up his Shadow Demon status when he made too many foolish movements. Shadows are not to be taken lightly._ "

"As we have seen," Horny replied. The dragon nodded gravely and looked over at Shade when he appeared.

"My brother will no longer bother us. The shadows made him into another shadow. He is completely under my control. You see, a Shadow Demon is made by a shadow, itself. As a shadow gains more of its own intelligence and independence, it can become a demon. It took me five hundred years to fully gain my own status as a demon. I have been a demon for three hundred so far," Shade said.

"But, if that's the case," Saithe started. "is Lyth really your brother?"

"Not really. All Shadow Demons refer to each other as a family of sorts, since not many are around."

"So, Lyth is still alive?" Horny asked.

"Yes, but only as a shadow, as I have stated before. He has been stripped of his demonic awareness and is back at the beginning. He's just an obedient shadow and will only remain that way," Shade reassured. "I was far older than him, and he knew it."

"Was it true when he said that there weren't any females?" Saithe asked.

"Yes. It is true. All the shadows that gain demonic status prefer to be male. Females are not that strong and tend to be more of a hassle to stay as."

"To stay as? You mean you can become a female right now?" Horny asked with a smirk. "You can change your sex?"

"Technically, yes. I can do that. However, I will not. My mind will alter, and I may lose some valuable memories and insights that I have learned. That is the only downside to changing sex at will. One may not know how to change back, or may forget why they changed."

" _Makes perfect sense. We should go now and make sure the island is secure_ ," Shadowsbane hissed. Shade nodded and vanished to do that. Horny watched the dragon secure his lair once more before leaving to scout.

"Now that they have finally left," Horny grinned and pulled her tight against him. When he heard the old man at the entrance, he snarled viciously. Saithe sighed and moved to roll off him, but he held her tight to keep her on.

"If he wants to talk to me that badly, he'll come in here, himself," he growled.

"And, if it's hearts he's delivering?" she asked. He grumbled and shoved her off him to get up. He walked to the entrance of lair and spoke harshly to the old man. She listened and giggled, as they exchanged comments.

"You know, you could always ask a shadow to translate for you," Shade said, as he appeared sitting next to her in a cross-legged position. She pondered and shook her head slowly.

"I don't want to know what they are discussing. If Horny wants me to know, he'll tell me. I don't have to listen to every conversation he has."

"What? Didn't I teach you to eavesdrop at  _every_  available conversation?!" Shade said with amazement. "I thought you enjoyed it."

"You did, and, yes, I did enjoy it. I just feel I should not have to listen to what my mate discusses. He tends to tell me everything, anyways. I listen to the others around me when he is not around. That is the best way to go."

"Stupid tribal bullshit!" Horny snarled, as he stormed back in. "I do  _not_  want a sacrifice in my honor! I have no need for it!"

"See?" Saithe smiled sweetly to her father. Shade laughed softly and vanished before he was discovered. Horny looked around slowly and scowled, as he walked back into the room to lie down. He did notice a rather large leather bag that appeared next to them. He figured the shadows had brought the latest crop of hearts. When he opened it, he found his suspicions correct. He pulled out a large heart and began to open each chamber. Saithe watched him and moved to take the heart from him, but he stopped her.

"It's been awhile since you bathed in blood, hasn't it?" he thought, as he looked at her. She watched him and smiled slowly. He lifted the heart over her and let the blood drain onto her skin. He watched her slick the blood over herself, and he bent down to lick it off. She groaned, as his tongue worked over her, and she tugged on his horns. He was about to do more, but Shade came back. Horny snarled and glared at him.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but there is an opening to attack the other castle now. The queen there has a son. The prince we know of. He needs to find someone to marry. It's rather interesting, really. The queen has to interrogate every girl she deems fit to marry her son," Shade said slyly. Saithe looked at him skeptically.

"How does she interrogate them?" she asked.

"Only one way to find out, I'm afraid. You will have to go there as a runaway, maybe. Perhaps as the harem girl disguise we talked about earlier?" he asked.

"I don't think she should do that," Horny says with a snarl. "Although, if there is an opening to attack now, then we should take advantage of it before it slips away."

"And there is my bed at home," she grinned and pressed herself against Horny. He swore and glared at Shade again.

"Fine. Take us back. And do so quickly before I change my mind."

With a nod, Shade gathered the shadows, and they vanished from there to reappear in the main Heart Chamber. The undead servants already had the pretty green silk garment ready for her. She raised a brow at them and looked at her mate.

"I guess they want me to go now?" she frowned at him. He glowered at the servants and snorted. He didn't want to leave her, but, if they had to act now, then they had no choice. He hated the decision.

"Clean up, get dressed, and meet me in our chambers," he grumbled. Pulling her close, he kissed her deeply before releasing her. Watching him leave, she let the maids wash her with small buckets of water first. Then she took the green silks and changed into them right there by the Heart. Her wings vanished into her back, as she fitted the silk onto her skin. The undead servants fitted the last of it, and then they left her to find her mate. She walked from the Heart directly to where her room was. When she was going to enter it, she paused when she heard the Mistress's voice.

"Horny, why can't you just forget about her? I'm telling you, it could be just us all over again!" the woman crooned.

"Whore, get away from me!" he snarled and slapped her away. "You can never replace her, and there is a part of me that can never be torn away from her!"

"Love, is there something wrong?" Saithe asked, as she walked in. He was about to say something, but, instead, he made a fist. He wanted to rip the silks right off her, but it was part of her disguise. The Mistress seemed to sulk, but she walked out of the room.

"Yes, there is something very wrong. I can't rip that crap off you, can I?" he asked, as she walked over to him.  _The Mistress was already forgotten._  She grinned and pressed herself against him. He ran a hand over her body and growled.

"I think you should beat me. This way it looks like I ran all the way there in fear for my life," she grabbed onto his horns to pull him closer.  He lifted her slightly in his arms with a small grin.

"Well, there is no other way to go about it, is there?" he grabbed her hips and pulled her down to his hips as though to grind her a little. She giggled and ran her hands over his sides.

"How do you wish to do this?" she teased with a small arch against him.

"So wicked you are," he chuckled and ran his tongue over her neck.

"I have an excellent teacher," she reveled in the thrill he gave her. That thrill turned into a cry of pain, when his mouth clamped on her neck to bruise it with a hard suck to her skin. His hands moved over her to pinch and leave bruises. He remembered how he beat her before.  _It was simpler this way and would be easy to heal her._  She was shaking when he was done, and he tossed her from him. The shadows caught her and warped her away. He got up to follow and protect his love soon after.


	25. Chapter 25

She appeared a mile from the castle. She had to force herself to run all the way up to the castle steps. It was nearing sunset, and the castle was just starting to close up.

"Let me in! Please!" she cried out in a panic before collapsing to the ground in exhaustion. Two guards came out with spears, but, instead of letting her in, they held the spears at her.

"Who are you?!" one burly guard asked. As she was going to answer, the prince, himself, came down and shoved the guards out of the way.

"She's wounded! Bring her in and help her! Then we ask the questions!" he snapped at the guards. They bowed and put their spears away. Gripping Saithe by each arm, the pulled her into the healers wing of the castle and dropped her on a cot. The prince saw the whole display, and the two guards would find themselves heading to the next castle for recruitment. Of course, no one would know that they would never make it from the undead dragon lurking a mile out of the castle. The shadows told him how she was treated. They were already marked for death.

When her strength was restored an hour later, the prince was still there. He was fully smitten by her beauty, and he wanted to learn all about her.

"Thank you...for your kindness..." she whispered.

"You are very welcome. What is your name?"

"I...I don't remember," she lied smoothly with a trembling swallow. "I remember running from the palace when a dragon attacked it. I...I ran so long, and for so many moons. I am sorry, Master."

She felt Horny snarl when she said the word, but he knew it was part of the disguise.  _She was a harem girl that was raised to serve a master. Just a sex slave._  When the prince had his mouth dropped, he looked up to find the queen walking in. She studied Saithe carefully and moved closer. Looking at the healer, she nodded and walked away. The prince seemed to hang his head.

"What is wrong, Master?" she asked with a frown.

"My Mother wishes to test you. She thinks you may be worthy of being my wife. She gave the look to show that she was interested in you being with me."

"How am I to be tested?"

"I don't know. All I know is that the girls leave almost as quickly as they came. As though they were humiliated. How I hate her!" he seethed. Horny chuckled in her mind.  _This would be interesting._  The only downside was that there were no chambers prepared for a mere slave girl. She remained in the healers wing the rest of the night.


	26. Chapter 26

When she woke in the morning, her bruises were gone, and she was told where to find the queen. Blinking as she walked through the stone halls, she found the tall set of stone steps that lead up to the queen's room. The moment she was in front of the door, she was pulled inside by the maid. She was glared at by the girl with dark brown hair and equally dark brown eyes. It was only obvious as to what she was from the servant garb she wore of dark browns and beige. Her clothes were a bit better from her status on serving the queen.

"She's mine! Don't forget it, bitch!" the maid hissed.  _Now this was really interesting!_  But, Saithe did not like the maid's attitude.

"We shall see about that," Saithe grinned wickedly. Now the maid stared at her with surprise. She did not expect that retort one bit. As she backed away, Saithe moved quickly. The shadows came alive and grabbed the maid, as she shoved the girl into them.

"Ah!" the maid gasped with terror.

"Keep her alive for me. Actually, I just need her heart. I may get hungry later!" she laughed. The maid's fate pleasantly sealed, she returned to being the timid little slave girl. The queen walked over to her and looked around.

"Where is Matila?" she asked suspiciously. "My attendant?"

"I don't know, Mistress. She left when I was pulled in here," she said innocently.

"Oh. All the better then. Come along," she gave an airy wave and gestured to the middle of the room by the bed. Saithe frowned, but did as she was told. Now she was instructed to undress. This had Saithe confused.

"What, Mistress?" she asked curiously.

"I didn't stutter. Undress," the queen instructed. Blinking, but she did as she was told. The queen looked over Saithe's body as though appraising. On the sight of the skulls she had on her breasts and the belly ring, she gave a faint smile of interest. "How did you get those? Rather unusual designs, aren't they?"

"My last Master was cruel. He marked those that belonged to him."

"I see. Are you a virgin?"

"No," she said sadly. The queen only smiled a bit more. Walking over to her, she placed a hand right between her legs and rubbed. "What are you doing, Mistress?!"

"I'm testing you," the queen said and pushed a finger deep into her. Another gasp was given, and the queen withdrew her finger. Now she tasted what her finger had, and she looked at Saithe with a smile. Now a commanding, husky whisper came forth, "Get on the bed and spread your legs. Keep them wide open for me."

_So this was what the maid meant!_

"Mistress! I can't do that! I mean, well," Saithe said with a small sense of panic. Then something soothed her. Horny's voice calmed and urged her to do as the queen asked.  _It would make her easier to taint._

"If you don't do this for me, then you are not fit to be with my son," the queen said. A shiver of disgust was all Saithe could give, but she got on the bed and opened her legs. Once that was done, the queen opened her up further and then buried her face between her thighs. The queen's intense licking started to drive Saithe mad. Clinging to the bed sheets with sweat appearing on her skin until she came hard, the queen kept drinking in what she gave out. When Saithe thought she was spent, the queen started to do this again. Several times, Saithe gave herself over to the queen. When the queen finally rose up, Saithe was panting. Only Horny could get her to the point of complete satisfaction. The queen was nothing compared to him. She could only pleasure.

"You belong to me, little harem slave," the queen whispered, as she removed her dress easily. That was when Saithe sat up and glared at her. The color drained from the queen's face when the fangs were revealed.

"I believe that it is the other way around, you royal slut!" Saithe hissed. Her tail slinked right out of her and buried deeply into the queen quickly.

"How dare you!" the queen screamed in outrage, but Saithe pulled the queen onto the bed. She pushed her hips onto the woman's face.

"Finish what you started or I'll kill you right here in your own bed!" she grinned. There was no further convincing needed. As Saithe's tail pleasured the queen, the queen pleasured her back. This time, she gave the queen no rest for an hour. By the time she was done, her tail withdrawn, the queen was in too much shock. What surprised the queen even more was that Saithe was still unsatisfied.

"Now what is your name, hmm?" Saithe asked, as she moved off the queen.

"Sorsha," she whispered. She was completely floored by what happened.

"Your brothers will be here to visit you soon. If you play nice, maybe you will not end up as true slaves like them. I can let you live here as always. As for your son, he may be a problem. We would have to kill him."

"No! Not Daren! Please!" the queen pleaded.

"Ahh, but why won't you let him marry?"

"I only wanted a girl to allow me to pleasure her, as well as himself!"

"To share a bride? How wicked of you, Sorsha. You should have known better," Saithe chided. Sorsha was going to respond back, but Horny was there and out of the shadows. Now she smiled greatly and said, "Ah, my love!"

He glared at the queen. Now the woman didn't know what to do. Her plan never went this far downhill.

"Touch my wife again, and you'll wish you never knew the scent of another!" he snarled. The queen could only nod, but now there was a problem. The taste of Saithe was not going to leave her tongue. By the way she looked at Saithe, it was easy to figure out. He had vowed right then and there to never let another have Saithe in such a manner. That right was reserved for him alone.

"My love, it appears that my sexual nature is addictive. Isn't that interesting?" Saithe mused. "What do you think?"

"You mean, she still wants you?" Horny looked at her and back at the queen with amusement. Then he started to laugh and whispered to his love. Saithe grinned and glared at the wanting queen.

"If you perform your duties for me with utmost perfection, I may let you have another taste of me yet. However, if you disgust me, you will be deprived. Understood?" Saithe growled. "If you don't do as I say, you'll be watching what my husband does to me! You won't get anything! Understood?!"

The queen could only nod frantically.  _I had never tasted anything like this! It was a taste that I simply couldn't put into words!_  Saithe was so evil that she corrupted those that tried to take anything from her. This could easily be used to her advantage.

"What can I do, Mistress?" the queen asked. Saithe only grinned at the change of command. Horny whispered to her of what to say.

"You are to act as though nothing has happened and proceed as usual so I may continue the game at hand. You shall inform your son that I have passed your first test and that another will come up shortly," she started and then looked at Horny. "I think he needs to be introduced to the Mistress. Don't you?"

Horny flung back his head and laughed.  _The prince would be forced to marry the Mistress. Or he would simply die._  He preferred the latter. Nuzzling Saithe's neck, he glared at the queen as she dressed.

"We have time. What do you want to do?" Horny muttered.

"My love, let me go about the castle and find the weaknesses," Saithe whispered in his ear enticingly. He snorted, smacked her rear, and retreated to the shadows. After the queen dressed, she dressed herself.

"I will need my maid," the queen said softly.

"Your maid pissed me off and is now unavailable. Likely permanently by now. I'm sure you can find another," Saithe replied with a grin. The queen paled and nodded. Gesturing for her to walk ahead, Saithe followed with her head hanging down. Sorsha lead her back into the main hall where her son was waiting anxiously.

"I approve of her," the queen said regally. Her son's mouth dropped.

"You do?!" he was elated now.  _This girl just might become my bride!_

"However, I am not done. She has one more trial to fulfill. When she passes that one, she will be free for you. There are still other girls coming here, and I will test them, regardless. Understood?"

"Yes, Mother," he frowned at that. He really wanted a wedding to happen now. As he watched Saithe trail after his mother, he called out to her.

"Yes, Master?" Saithe asked. Horny still snarled at it. He didn't like this acting at all and was planning to put a complete stop to it.

"You don't need to call me that. Daren is fine," he said with a light smile.

"Oh. Well, if you insist...Daren," she batted her eyes at him innocently. She heard Horny snickering from the shadows when he caught her sneer when the prince looked away. _She clearly detested him._

"How did she test you?" he asked slowly.  _Now this was going to be fun!_  Looking around, she knew the queen was close by, and she swallowed.

"I was ordered not to tell."

"Oh. Well...can you whisper it to me? Something? I really need to know!"

Saithe feigned hesitation. In truth, the queen gave no such order. This was just her way of having fun!

"Tonight at midnight. Confront me outside. The stables. Okay?"

"I'll be there!" he nodded and walked off to go to his other duties.

"Come here!" Sorsha commanded.

"Yes, Mistress!" Saithe called back and walked over to her. The shadows lead her down a dark hallway, and, as she passed the middle, she felt a mouth on hers.  _The queen was making an interesting move!_

She was about to shove her away, but Horny wanted it to happen.  _The more it did, the more corrupted the queen got. Of course, he still detested it, but this was to take over the castle. With corruption, it would be easier to take her down._  Saithe growled a bit, but let it go when she felt fingers start to massage her inner thighs. When the softness of a tongue was felt, she let out a low moan. Letting the queen have her way with her was one thing. Knowing that Horny was watching made it easier on her. She gave herself over and found herself in a continuous climax.  _The queen wasn't stopping!_  Saithe had never found herself riding on an orgasm like this, and now Horny was intrigued. He'll be trying it later.

Several minutes later, the queen released her, and Saithe nearly fell to the floor. The shadows held her up and helped her recuperate quickly. As always, the pleasure was there, but only Horny could fully satisfy her. The queen got lucky with the move she did.

"I...couldn't help it..." Sorsha said with a shiver.

"Be lucky I allowed it!" Saithe hissed with irritation. Sorsha seemed to swallow with fear, but the corruption took a deeper hold. Saithe was Horny's drug. Now she was a drug to the queen.

"I really couldn't help it! Please forgive me!" Sorsha whimpered.

"I said it was fine. If anything, my husband was amused. Where were we heading before this?"

"The kitchens. I was going to supervise the dinner."

"Then let us go."

The queen nodded and led the way. Once there, an impressive feast was being set up. Three pigs on spits, chickens, and pheasants were trussed up, and there was a whole series of appetizers consisting of shellfish being displayed. Saithe was getting nauseous from the smells. On seeing her, Sorsha asked, "What's wrong?"

"I cannot eat this," she growled. The queen looked at her expectantly.

"What do you need?"

"Raw hearts freshly removed from the animals and blood to drink."

"Raw..." the queen wanted to feint! "I'll...I'll see what I can do."

"I don't need to eat with everyone else. I lost my taste for those other foods long ago. This is something that I simply accept."

"Very well. I'll order you to wait in my chambers, and I'll have the meal sent to you from my most discreet servants. Oh, my maid isn't here. I'll have to see to another."

"That you will. Maybe I'll just eat her heart, since I said I would," Saithe mused and turned, as her father stepped into the kitchen. Sorsha's mouth dropped at the sight of Shade, and he grinned at her.

"Saithe! I just wanted to see how you were," he mused.

"Sorsha, this is my father. Don't piss him off."

"Corrupted so much, aren't you?" Shade mused, as he watched the queen regain her composure. He was actually quite taken with her. It wasn't often that a mortal woman caught his interest in such a way.

"Will you be eating with us, as well?" the queen asked calmly.

"No. I will need to speak with you, though. Considering that you are so corrupted that Saithe controls all of your movements."

Sorsha's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped.

"Father, I think she needs to know what a cock feels like later," Saithe snickered. The queen's eyes widened further, and she started to stammer.

"Quite right. I'll be sure to help with that," he grinned, as he stretched out his wings and flexed his chest. "I'll be back later. Others are coming."

Nodding to him when he left, the queen could only shudder. She knew she was locked into everything now.  _If my son knew what was happening, he would rebel against me, and all of my plans would be ruined._

"What are you thinking of, Mistress?" Saithe asked innocently, as servants came in to take away the food.

"Just how my son should not know of my secrets. He's a very delicate boy," she seemed to whisper it out with a dried throat. Saithe grinned wickedly and leaned in close to whisper to the queen.

"Your son wants to meet me at midnight to tell him how you work. If you give in to my Father's desires, I may be able to tell a white lie."

She paled at this news, but then she nodded frantically. She'll do anything to keep her son from knowing the truth. A deep breath was taken to regain her composure again, and she frowned.  _So much has gone wrong!_

Saithe went to the queen's chambers to await her special meal, and Horny was there to meet with her.

"I don't like her," he snarled, as he hugged his mate close.

"Neither do I," she agreed.

"She pleasures you like I should. I hate her."

"Then kill her."

"Not until I'm done with her!" Shade said, as he walked in to join them.

"Hrmph. Fine. Kill her when you're done! Then I'll slaughter the prince!"

"Save him for the Mistress," Saithe grinned. "I'm going to tell him what his mother has been doing. Then I may corrupt him, too."

"NO!" Horny slathered and hugged her close. "No prince will touch you! Let the Mistress handle that!"

"Yes, dear," she giggled at his temper and tugged on his horns. He let out a grunt and gazed into her black eyes. Kissing him after he tumbled into bliss, he let Shade collect the meal and kill the servant when the man stared at what was in the queen's chambers. The shadows cleaned up the mess, and he gave the heart and blood to Saithe.

"It's clean. No poison," her father said. Nodding, as she shared the heart with Horny, she let him paint the blood on her and start licking it off. When Shade was glared at, he decided to check on the maid.

The girl was in the Torture Chambers and was strapped down to a table. The Mistress was enjoying herself with whipping her when Shade interrupted her.

"I'm working. What is it?" she grumbled, as the maid whimpered in pain.

"Let something play with her in a sexual way. She hates males," Shade grinned. "Anyways, I need to tell you something. You are going to marry a prince."

"WHAT?!" the Mistress screeched and gave several more lashes to the maid.

"It's part of the plot to corrupt a rather innocent prince. He knows nothing about women. You could easily claim him as your own."

"Really? A virgin prince? Now that...is a very convincing concept. How will you work this out?" she ignored the crying maid and spotted a wandering Warlock. Gesturing for him to play with the maid, he was all too happy to help. Walking out of the chamber with Shade, it wasn't long before the maid was screaming from rape. A nice long line would be forming soon.

"Yes. I will disguise you as Saithe. Horny will know who you are, so no ideas!" he snapped out quickly to quell any thoughts. The Mistress frowned, but she nodded.

"That will work. All right, I'm convinced. Tell me when and where to appear, and I'll be there."

"Good," Shade nodded and left her to go back to work. Walking through the shadows, he did a quick check around the lairs and various rooms before heading back.

When he got back to the queen's chambers, he was grinning. Saithe was howling in pleasure from Horny's tongue, and he wasn't going to be letting her go anytime soon. He was far more skillful than the queen was. He was letting his mate know it. Horny sensed they were being watched, and he paused to glare. "Get lost!"

"Noted. I'll check on the prince," he mused and found his way into the small chambers. He was a bit surprised. The prince had just sacrificed a small animal, likely a mouse, on the small idol statue in his chambers.  _He was trying to summon evil?_  Shade grinned wickedly now.  _I won't disappoint him and answer his 'call'._

"Why aren't you answering my prayers?!" the prince hissed at the bloody idol on his desk. "I want you to come and kill my mother!"

"Hello, Daren," Shade said, as he materialized into the room. The prince did a double take and stepped back.

"Who are you?" he asked softly.

"My name is Shade. Who were you trying to summon?" he asked calmly, as he stretched out his black wings.

"The Devil," the prince said proudly. Shade stifled a laugh.  _That one was always busy, but I do know of one that would work even more in our favor..._

"How about...I bring you someone better? Someone who can easily put all of your fears to rest? It will cost you absolutely nothing. Just a fraction of your time."

"Well..." the prince paused. He never expected his summoning to work.

"You have until after midnight. I'll come to you with your answer then."

The prince nodded, and Shade retreated to the shadows to laugh loudly.  _This was a pleasant surprise!_  He headed back to the queen's chambers to find the two evil lovers finishing up. On appearing, he made his reports.

"So, the Mistress agrees. Good. And now I am  _very_  interested in the prince!" Horny grinned wickedly. "If he tries to summon again, I'll be waiting. Matter of fact, I'll just go now."

He kissed Saithe deeply and watched her rest on the bed. A nod to Shade was given, and he walked into the shadows to confront the prince. When he got there, Daren was trying to hide the mess on his desk.

"You summoned me?" Horny asked, as he walked out of the shadows. His footfalls left permanent burn marks on the floor. The prince turned, and his mouth dropped. He backed away from the huge, red demon quickly. Glowing yellow eyes narrowed, as he fixated himself on the prince.

"Y-yes, I did," he started. "I just spoke with a shadow man who was going to collect an answer from me later."

"Well, I'm here now. I was simply detained. I heard your summon, but had to finish my other deal first. Shade informed me of you to remind me to see to this. What do you want?!" he slathered. "And don't waste my time!"

"I want..." the prince swallowed. "I want my mother dead."

"Why?" Horny asked and crossed his arms over his massive chest.

"Well...she's mean! Cruel! She keeps girls from me and never tells me why they leave! I just want to know what she does!"

"That's all? You will find out when you meet the sex slave tonight! As for your mother..." he snarled. He turned to look at the small idol dripping with blood. He took the scythe off his back and hacked it in half with a single swift movement. Then he grinned, as he sneered, "Consider her dead by sunrise!"

The prince sat there stunned at first. Shaking himself free of the sensation, he took a deep breath. Then he stammered out, "V-very good. Th-that will be all..."

"There is a payment to consider!" Horny sneered again.

"Payment?! Well...what payment?" the prince asked nervously.

"You will marry a woman of  _my_  choosing," Horny grinned. The prince paled.  _A woman of a demon's choosing?! Was he mad?!_

"I..." he started and lost his courage at the smoldering glare. The demon was ready to kill him, if he declined. "I accept your bargain."

"Good," Horny said silkily. "And it will NOT be the sex slave. She's to be mine. I have another in store for you. Not as appealing, but she will do."

"Oh..." he frowned at this news, but a deal was a deal. "Very well."

"Go to your meeting now. And that is not an order. It's a command!"

The prince yelped at the change in tones, and he nodded frantically before bolting out the door. Horny grinned rather wickedly.  _This simplified things completely._  On finding Shade, he explained what just happened, and the Shadow Demon was almost on the floor in laughter.  _Why were things so easy?! Surely, something had to become a challenge soon. Would there ever be a challenge?_  On checking the time, he judged it was time for Saithe to have her meeting and he would go after the queen.

"It's time already?" Horny asked.

"Yes. I'll wait for the queen. You watch after Saithe."

"Done," he nodded and walked out of the shadows to find his love. He found her easily by the stables, and the prince was just walking up to her.

"You have come," Saithe purred softly to him. She felt Horny nearby and felt much better. The shadows had informed her of what was going on, so she was fully up to speed on the plans.

"Yes, I have. Please...can you tell me what my mother does?" the prince asked softly. She nodded nervously and looked around before clearing her throat.

"Well..." she feigned hesitation again. "she...she pleasured me."

The prince paused and seemed to freeze. "She did what?"

"She gave me pleasure..." she hesitated again, and the prince went quiet.

"I see. How did she do this?"

"She tasted me. Here," she rubbed a little between her legs. Daren flushed crimson. He tried to speak, but instead he bit his tongue.

"All this time...she did..." he whispered with frustration. Then he started to laugh. Saithe watched him carefully. The prince was now lost in his own raging thoughts.  _I really hate my Mother. All this time she was using the other girls for herself. She was taking them before any form of marriage! Even other princesses that came from other kingdoms! Of course, they wouldn't know how to say anything to their parents or to me. They were flustered, embarrassed, and wanted nothing more to do with me or the rest of the royal family here. They would wallow in their hidden shame that their virginity was spoiled, even though Mother didn't fully break them. Just by her doing what she did was enough to soil them! Now it all makes sense!_

Saithe decided to egg it on a bit. She continued, "She said that...she wanted you to marry someone she can share with you. In fact, her maid threatened me harm when I went to the queen first. She said something that the queen was hers."

"Stop!" he begged and sat on the ground with frustration. "If I didn't already make a deal with the Devil, I'd kill her myself!"

"With Horny? Oh, he's not a real Devil. He is a powerful demon, though," she said with a slight nod. "He makes deals all the time."

"Well, that makes sense. Wait! How do you know him?!"

"He's my husband," she said with a soft smile. He stared at her and then gaped when Horny came out of the shadows. His heavy footfalls left a trail of fire and died out shortly after, as he scooped her up to put her on his shoulder. She cried out with glee and kicked her feet cutely at him. Then he reached up and ripped off her garments for her skull piercings to show. The prince just stared, as her black wings emerged, and she looked at him with a fanged smile. A sharp snarl from Horny snapped him out of it.

"Now you see why you can't touch her. But, don't worry! I do have a nice candidate picked out for you. You'd just better hope you like pain," Horny snickered. Saithe giggled and moved to relax fully over his shoulders, using his spiny protrusions as leg and arm rests.

"Of course," Daren managed to say, as he locked his eyes on the sexy Succubus. "I'll retreat to my chambers now. But, my mother will be dead?"

"I gave you my word. She'll die before sunrise," Horny snorted. The prince nodded and moved swiftly back to his chambers.

"Think he's jealous?" Saithe grinned.

"You think I care about his feelings? Fuck his feelings!" Horny replied, as he walked back into the shadows with her. While he took her to their bed, Shade was waiting for the queen. He watched her disrobe, and lust was already filling his mind. He saw her pause, as she was about to call for her maid before she remembered that her maid was gone. She sighed at that, and she managed to undress all but the strap that bound her undergarments to her back. She always had problems removing it on her own.

"Allow me," Shade slyly said, as he stepped out of the shadows.

"What?!" she whirled around quickly and paused when she saw him. She gaped at the dark handsomeness he had and the muscles that were thickly applied to his form. When his wings stretched out, she could only watch him with complete fascination _. Even the way his hair framed his form was eye catching!_  She really wasn't into men anymore. Not since her husband had passed on. It was being with Saithe that sparked this feeling for the Shadow Demon. It made him look appealing and incredibly desirable. He stalked towards her as though she was prey, and he gave a white-fanged smile.

"I'm supposed to kill you by sunrise," he said menacingly.

"But...but is there another way?" she asked pleadingly. He thought.

"If you perform adequately, I may be able to do something. It was all your son's idea to have you killed. He was trying to summon the Devil to kill you. Of course, the Horned Reaper was only too happy to answer the call."

"Daren wants me dead?!" she gaped and trembled. "I had no idea..."

"Of course, you didn't!" he snapped. "You denied him happiness, and he got pissed! What more would you expect out of your son? But, like I said before. You make me happy, and I'll see if I can bend a rule or two. Deal?"

"Very well," she sighed with defeat. She didn't stop him when he ripped the clothing off her with a form of savage lust. As much as she wanted to shout for him to stop everything, she forced herself to do nothing. When she was dragged to her bed for the rest of the night, the pain and pleasure she would be forced to endure would outdo anything she had ever experienced before in her lifetime.


	27. Chapter 27

At dawn, Horny was in the queen's bedchamber. While she was in a deep sleep, Shade was finally withdrawing from her. She had scratches, bite marks, and bruises all over her body. He clearly enjoyed her all through the night, and she had little to no sleep.

"I have a bargain to keep," Horny growled with his scythe ready.

"I think I want to keep this one," Shade said, as he thought aloud. Horny looked at him funny.  _This was a first._

"Why?"

"She actually lasted longer than the others," he shrugged. "Her tasting Saithe may have had a hand in that. It made her desirable to me. I think I became attractive to her, too. She became rather...willing when she wanted to be."

"And what do I tell the prince?"

"I'll take her to the realm of shadows. He'll never see her again. Your deal will be done. She'll be my personal toy. If anything, we can keep her as a backup ruler. If he doesn't perform his job well enough, then we'll need her for it."

"That can work. I'd prefer her dead, though."

"When I get tired of her, you can kill her."

"Very well," Horny nodded. Shade touched the queen's wrist, and she vanished. There was plenty of blood on the sheets from how he tormented her during his mating to suffice for a good kill. With a grin on the Horned Reaper's lips, he walked out of the room to find Saithe dancing in the courtyard. Watching her from the shadows, as she twirled in her harem suit, the dance was already drawing a crowd towards her. He frowned hard, as he wondered what she was planning. As the sun rose up and touched her curves, he snarled. He didn't like that. As he was contemplating how to reach her, she stopped dancing and regarded the crowd. Then he noticed the prince standing nearby. Now he realized that she was trying to gain the attention of the people.  _But...why? Why do that?_

"Your prince has chosen a bride!" she howled to the crowd. At this news, the people started to talk and cheer. Then Horny saw why she was drawing the crowd _. It was for the prince._ Nodding to him to talk to his people, she walked away from him and straight into the shadows where her mate was waiting.

"I was getting worried for a moment. I actually got the disgusting thought that you liked the sunlight," he grumbled. She kissed him deeply and smiled.

"Me like the sun? Never! Anyways, just watch. It will be very entertaining soon," she grinned wickedly. He grinned back and held her, as Daren started to lament over how his mother had passed on. The people were in an uproar, but he calmed them with the promise of a new queen. Then the Mistress appeared on cue, and the crowd went quiet. They were confused, and even the prince was stammering at her appearance. She smirked at them all and snapped her whip. Shade had decided to go without illusions for her. His thoughts were rather correct.  _If this was who the queen chose to have her son marry, none of them had any say so. And, since the queen was 'dead', this was considered her last wish. It would be honored no matter how shocking it was._

"GET BACK TO WORK!" the Mistress hissed at them. The servants fled to do their chores. Tossing her red hair around, she leered at the prince. She was now his unofficial wife. He knew she was going to introduce him to her way of giving pleasure.

"Um..." he started before she raised her clawed hand. She appraised him in half a second. She liked what she saw.

"You. Come with me. Now," she grinned. He swallowed and followed her back up to his bed chamber.

"Lovely. Looks like the Mistress will have a personal play toy," Horny grinned. Saithe sighed and leaned into him. Looking down at her, he held up the queen's tiara.

"How cute!" she giggled. "Oh, what happened to that maid?"

"Well, we didn't kill her. If anything, she is now the personal whore of the Keeper's dungeon," Horny grinned wickedly. "I'm not touching her, though."

"And, if she becomes pregnant?" she frowned.

"The Priest has a potion for that," he smirked.

"Good! What happened to the queen? Did she die?"

"No. Your father has taken a...liking to her. The kings are talking to the turned queen now. If the prince fails in his duties, he'll be killed, and she will take his place again. She seems all right with everything. For now, at least. She'll be locked away in realm of shadow while your father keeps his interest in her."

"And what do we do now?"

"Let's leave here. I want to go home."

"Me, too," she nodded, and he kissed her deeply. The servants would be replaced with the undead and castle flags would be raised to match the ones at their castle. Slowly but surely, their empire would expand. Then it would reach out and corrupt everything it touched. In the back of Horny's mind, he didn't really need to do much now. Neither did Saithe.  _It was time for a personal expansion at last._  His only issue was how to bring it up to her. _That was going to be fun._


	28. Chapter 28

They were reclining in her heart bed a week later. The Priest had a potion ready to give her the moment it was asked for. When Saithe was about to ask for it, Horny rose up his hand with a small smile.

"Horny?" she frowned.

"No more potions. For now, at least," he smirked. She looked at him with surprise. "Think about it. We have enough servants. We have minions. Imps. A few castles. We'll get more, no doubt. But...I feel that it's time. Shadowsbane also has his eggs that will be hatching in time, too."

"I understand," she said with a small blush. When Horny ran a hand over her belly, he paused.  _She was already pregnant again. She didn't know it._

"Interesting," he mused. "The Priest's last potion didn't work?"

"What?" she asked.

"You're already pregnant," he said. Now she looked at him with disbelief.

"Impossible!" she said. "I took his potion when it was given to me before."

"I know you did. It was right after your last period, too. We also did something before you took it, but that shouldn't have mattered. It should have stopped it."

"Well...what do you want to do?" she asked.

"Leave it," he grinned. "Let it grow."

"Wouldn't it be funny if it was the same baby trying to come back?" she chuckled.

"I wouldn't be surprised," he shrugged. Now she looked at him with a touch of curiosity. "Many demon babies get killed and reborn. They don't recall anything, though. So, I wouldn't doubt it. Like I said, let this one grow."

"How long do you think it could be?" she asked.

"Hmm," he thought and pushed a hot hand over her belly. "We could be looking at three to six months. Depending on the strength of the offspring."

"Really?" she asked.

"Some monsters are every month," he grinned. "Fast birth for fast armies. It tends to be that way. Anyways, at the rate of growth here, it's fairly quick."

"But, what happens to the state of the mother?"

"Sometimes it results in death from over-birthing. Unless, of course, the mother is made for such a thing. Many demon females can have litters."

"I never would have thought it."

"I know," he smirked. "But, don't worry. You're just having one."

"You can tell?"

"I can feel it. Anyways, you are going to be famished soon. You'll need something more than chicken hearts. We will need to go raiding a few farmlands."

"We did need to branch out, anyways, right?" she grinned.

"Very true," he nodded. "I wonder if intensely bloody meat would work. As much as you could eat your bed, it takes time to heal. We need something substantial and ready for you to sink your teeth into."

"So, save my bed as a last resort?"

"Yes. It would be best," he agreed. "And, if we find a kingdom while hunting for you, we'll need to enlist it into our fold. Won't we?"

"We should. But...would I have to be the one to lead the charge?"

"No," he said flatly. "I won't let you fight, if I want you to carry offspring. I refuse. I'll sit out, too, if I must."

"I doubt that," she snorted. He grinned wickedly at her. "You have to fight."

"True. It would be instinctive for me to do it. Hmm. Maybe I can escort you with an illusion. This way you don't go alone."

"If it works, we should just do that from now on. I hate going alone to places now. Too much of a hassle," she frowned.

"The last thing I want is for something to happen to our offspring. Hmm. Have the shadows start to scout out. I'm sure the Mistress can coax her new husband into giving us a detailed layout of the nearby areas," Horny mused. At the glance over when Shade appeared, he smirked.

"I can get that information for you," Shade offered.

"Good. Get to it," Horny nodded.

"Any special plans, otherwise?" Shade asked. A shadow brought over a chair for him to sit down in.

"A small, personal expansion," he grinned. That had Shade blink with surprise. "She's already pregnant, as it is."

"She is? I thought she was taking the potion?" Shade frowned. "Ah. Her body may be adapting to it. It's no longer effective."

"Is that what it is?" Saithe asked.

"Yes. Your body knows how to get around it. Stronger potions will need to be made in the future," Shade said. "No need to worry about it now. Anyways, I'll check on those plans for the surrounding areas."

"We need to find a location with a lot of farmland. Saithe's appetite may become unruly. I would like to see if heavily bloodied meat will help," Horny said. "As much as the hearts are needed, she may need the solid meat, too."

"I'll see what I can come up with," Shade nodded. When he vanished away, Horny sat up to stretch. She watched the blood drip off his muscled back with intense fascination. When he felt her tongue moving to lap up the drops, he grunted.

"I thought we had things to do today?" he growled.

"One of those things is me," she growled back and nipped his shoulder. Grinning wickedly, he turned and pounced her to do just that.


	29. Chapter 29

As Shade was studying what his shadows were bringing to him for information, he paused at one tidbit that was sent to him.  _This could put a damper in our plans._  Turning and flexing his wings with a touch of frustration, he frowned in thought _. It's been bound to happen. I just didn't expect it to happen like this._

"Another Keeper. I'll need to report this to Horny. Now," he muttered to himself.  _This could be problematic. There were other Keepers out there, but they all tried to kill off any opposition._  He would have to send in his shadows to scour as much as he was able, and it was done the moment he thought about it.

When he appeared next to Saithe's heart bed, Horny looked at him with annoyance. Then he saw the look on Shade's face. "Okay. Something wrong?"

"Another Keeper," Shade said.

"Let me talk to my mate alone," he said with a nod.

"I'm already trying to spy around. I'll report what I find," the Shadow Demon nodded and vanished. Saithe was mildly napping, but she was awake after hearing this.

"Another Keeper?" she asked.

"Yes. This is not the only Keeper, you know. There are others out there. They just...don't get along well with others. They try to stay spread out. But, if they encroach on desirable territory, there will be a fight. And there may be one soon. They may even have another of my kind working for them. So, as a precaution, you should stay in this room. I would have you fight at my side, but I want you to have my offspring. I don't want to delay it any further."

"Then abort this fetus and get me pregnant again!" she snapped. "If you think that I am going to stand aside and watch, then you are dead wrong!"

"I can't do that," Horny said bluntly. "If we caught it early, we could abort it. There is too much development now. You're already starting to show. That and Shadowsbane's eggs are starting to harden, too. I want my offspring to grow with his. I promised him that much."

"So, you go off and get all of the glory?" she frowned.

"Saithe, you forget what you can do. You can heal the Heart of the Keeper. If the enemy knows what you can do, you may become a spoil of war," Horny said with a hard glare. "I am keeping you here for your own good, too!"

"My own good?"

"You attract danger."

"And you kill it."

"Better if it's attracted here, right? On my own grounds?" he grinned.

"Until you chase it and meet it head on," she pouted. He rolled his eyes.  _She was moody now. And she was pouting. Then again, I would be upset, too, if I had to miss a good fight. But, on the other hand, the fight tends to come to her..._

"No, I won't be running out there," he said. "I'll be here protecting you."

"Will you?" she asked.

"I have to," he snorted. "I'll have Shadowsbane's eggs in here, too. I'm also going to be protecting you, because, if the enemy gets you, they have our whole undead army. Including that dragon. I refuse to let that happen!"

"Father said he was getting more information. Should I help?"

"No. If the enemy is cunning, they will try to trace your shadows. Just rest. Let our offspring grow. Hmm?" he looked over at a platter of cow hearts that was delivered by the shadows. Several chunks of incredibly bloody meat were also mixed into the pile. Grinning, he pulled up the plate and held it out to her. She hissed and snatched up a bloody chunk to sink her teeth into. Horny rose a brow at this.  _She was craving solid meat after all. More would need to be brought._

"What meat is this?" she asked, as she chewed. He tried a piece and thought.

"Human," he smirked. "Same with the hearts. The smaller ones, at least."

"As long as it fills my belly and feeds our offspring, then I don't care where it came from," she smirked and let him lick off a droplet of blood from her chin. After she ate her fill, he let her recline against him. He kept a rather protective arm around her now. When there was a knock on the chamber door, he sat up and glared hard.

"What?!" he snarled out loud enough to be heard. When it opened, he narrowed his eyes with hatred at the prince that stood there. He did note the elaborate collar around the human's neck.  _That was a nice little claim from the Mistress's part._

"I brought map plans of the surrounding area," he said.

"Good. Set them aside. A battle will be here soon. Tell your wife to prepare. There may be a siege. She will understand what that means," Horny snorted.

"Right," Daren nodded. Saithe studied him now. She never noticed what he looked like before. It was the same with the queen. There was no need for her to go into such details. What she thought was funny was that Sorsha had golden blond hair with rather pretty blue eyes to go with it. Daren must have come from his father with his darker blond hair and green eyes. He didn't have the stubble on his chin before, though. The Mistress must have had him grow it.

She also noticed that the prince was starting to fill out.  _That was amusing._  Horny noticed how Saithe was looking at the human and snarled. Then she rested her hands on his shoulders and pressed her chest against his back. That calmed him back down.  _She didn't want any others._ She was able to carefully push him back down into the bed to let her body rest on his. He wrapped his arms around her, and it was all she wanted.

She heard her door close, and Horny let out a small snort. She moved to press her face against his neck to hear his heart beating fiercely. She started to remember the long, lonely month without him. When he felt her trembling, he made a questioning sound. When she didn't answer, he sat up with her again.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I just...remembered when you...weren't here..." she whispered. He looked at her with surprise. Then he remembered something and sighed.

"That's right. This is a part of the pregnancy," he muttered. "Now I know I can't leave your side for anything. If that incident never happened, it would be fine. I guess I can simply rest with you for the next few months."

"So...you won't leave?"

"I already said that I wouldn't. There is no chance that I would be able to. I don't want you to worry and stress over it. If I have to be somewhere, you go with me. Now I want you to shut up and sleep on me."

"What?" she growled. He smirked at her look and pulled her close, as he lay back into the heart bed to get comfortable.

"Besides, do you really want to leave right now?" he muttered. She wanted to argue. She wanted to shout, scream, and tear into him. But, as she reclined in his warm embrace, she started to get drowsy. He knew that this was what she needed.  _Sleep was the key to keeping her calm. That and keeping her belly full._  When he felt her full weight added onto him, he gave a heavy sigh. This was also why he waited for as long as he did.  _Her attitude was going to get rather vicious at times. It couldn't be helped._

"Horny," Shade said when he reappeared. At the glare for him to keep his voice down, the Shadow Demon nodded his apology. "We will need to strategize. What my shadows are telling me is not good."

"I'll be forced to sit this fight out," Horny said. "Saithe is already remembering the time I left her. You know what this means."

"Are you serious?!" Shade hissed. "Abort the damned thing!"

"No," Horny said flatly. "I will sit this fight out. I promised her."

"Horny, this enemy is as powerful as us!"

"What?"

"Yes! This Keeper is as old as the one we serve! Granted, I see things being done now. Our Keeper is preparing. You may be forced to fight."

"I will not. If this other Keeper is preparing a siege, someone needs to stay behind to guard the Heart," Horny grinned wickedly. "On our turf."

"Ah. I see," Shade mused. "The Trolls are already making traps to fill various corridors. New doors and trick halls are being prepared. Oh!"

"What?" he asked. He looked over at his door being suddenly removed for an Imp to deliver a magic door. The portal-like construction would instantly fire large fireballs at any enemies. All of the doors were getting upgraded. When more Imps came in to dig, Horny snarled at them all to work quietly. Their mindlessly giggling chatter didn't help. He was going to get incredibly pissed, but then he noticed that his chamber was being stocked as an emergency Treasury now. A small Library was placed in for him to help research. He wasn't much for doing that, but Shade realized that it was for Saithe. He now saw what the Keeper was doing.

"She will be helping with this battle, after all," Shade grinned. "The Keeper wants her to help research here. Where she will be safe with you."

"Oh..." Horny blinked. "If she thinks she's working with the Keeper to research new spells to help me fight..."

"You might be able to fight, should it be called for."

"Our Keeper is very smart."

"Why else do you think we are here and still alive?"

"True," Horny mused. After the Imps finally left, he yawned. Saithe didn't wake up once. That showed how swiftly the pregnancy was developing. "I need to rest. Find out how many rooms this other Keeper has. What minions he has. And, also, let's hope that other one doesn't have a Scrying room. We don't need our forces to join theirs."

"Shadow Demons never have to worry about that. But, I do see your point. I'll look into it and inform you of what I find," Shade nodded.

"And make sure," he said with a small hiss. "that I am the only Reaper."

"Definitely," Shade said with a sharp nod before leaving the room. Alone with his mate again, he closed his eyes. He was protecting his mate and future offspring. If anything got past the new door, it was as good as dead.


	30. Chapter 30

What Shade uncovered had him nearly go into shock.  _This other Keeper was stationed in this area for quite some time._  An elaborate floor plan was already installed. An army was well established, too. He found evidence that other Keepers tried to dethrone this one with little to no avail. Right now, Shade knew that they were undetected. It had been so long that another Keeper dared to search out here that the watch was lax. The minions didn't really train as much as they used to.

As much as Shade knew that they could hold the element of surprise, there was a problem that he foresaw, too.  _Quite a few minions were known to explore to claim territory. It was instinctive for them to do._   _Especially the Imps. It would only be a matter of time before Imps from each side would meet. That would be the first fighting alarm. And that would blow our cover._

He decided to take a drastic measure. He walked over to the Keeper's Heart and watched it beat calmly in the massive chamber. He took in a deep breath and focused.

"My Keeper, I require your attention," he said reverently. When he felt an intense gaze on him, he nodded. It always unnerved him, but this was important. "I have a strategy for you. Keep the Imps from searching for now. Lock them up, if you must. We are not yet ready for a full attack. My daughter will assist with research. If she is found, we both know what would happen."

He looked over to see a Warlock in long, purple robes come up to him. He blinked at this, but then he noticed something.  _The Keeper had Possessed the minion to speak with him._ The Warlock nodded and said, in a rather monotone voice, " _And, at last, we shall have an old enemy put down. Your strategy is noted. I do know how this can end. Or even begin. I have seen countless battles. I have seen countless deaths. The child of My Heart will be kept safe. I have watched her grow and expand since she first stepped into My domain. However, there is a flaw with her._ "

"A flaw?!" Shade hissed. "My daughter is not flawed!"

" _The flaw is in her, so to speak. Because of that flaw, My Horned Reaper will not fight. That displeases Me. Although, I do know why. Affections are something best held away like a lit torch. To be flung away farther than daggers. My Horned Reaper is always loyal to My cause. My Horned Reaper has also made his choice on this matter. He has served Me well. I will not release him from My army. I shall honor his choice, instead. He is keeping the child of My Heart safe and secure. He will be My last line of defense should My Heart be under threat. So, as he will be here, there will need to be a replacement in the field of battle. Another will need to lead the charge. You shall find Me another to assist in the charge._ "

"So...you want me to find you another replacement to fight in the front? Won't one of the kings we have work for you? Even the dragon?"

" _I cannot let the enemy know of what I have acquired. Such a thing would be...foolhardy. I cannot show all of My cards at the table. We shall need to prepare carefully, My Shadow Demon. When you find one suitable for Me, I shall Possess the tiny mind to assist in the charge. I can lead My army to the Heart of My enemy to slaughter My opposition. Then the spoils can be claimed. I have remained in the sidelines. Content to watch. With another Keeper here...I cannot be idle._ "

"I can understand that."

" _I know that the child of My Heart will need intense nourishment. The land above us is rich with such a resource. Although the flaw is growing within her, it could become something of a bonus to My army. Perhaps that is the one that could lead My charge, should it grow into something beneficial. But, time is of the essence. And we do not have time. Do we?_ " the Keeper mused.

"That we do not," Shade agreed.

" _Therefore, I shall attempt to keep My Imps from exploration. But, you know how they can be. We do hold the element of surprise._ "

"That we do."

" _If our position was discovered, i_ _t would be problematic_ _._ "

"It would be."

" _Imps are not the only ones that explore._ "

"I...oh. You are right."

" _Of course, I am right. I shall call forth a meeting of My minions. Within the hour. Inform My Horned Reaper. Inform the child of My Heart. Inform them all._ "

"I shall do as you say," Shade nodded. At that, the Warlock woke up and scratched his head in confusion as to where he was. Shade gestured for him to remain for the meeting after telling him that the Keeper brought him over. The minion grinned and nodded. Shadows now went into every inch of his Keeper's domain for a war council.

Horny was not amused at the call to arms. He was loathe to wake up Saithe, but this was to protect his offspring. Grumbling to himself, he gently nudged her awake.

"Huh?" she asked and yawned.

"I'd let you sleep more, but the Keeper has other plans. He wants you to research some books to help with the war. There is also a council of war that we both need to attend. It can't wait. Apparently, the enemy is stronger than we know."

"Okay. Let me bathe," she said. She was still tired. She was forced to cling to Horny for support when she threatened to stumble out of her heart bed. Then she leaned a bit away from him and retched up everything she ate.

"Of all the...!" Horny hissed and winced.  _This was going to be a nasty pregnancy._  He scooped her up and charged her over to the nearby streambed to help her wash up. When he felt an intense gaze on him, he glared up at the ceiling. "She got ill. She needs to bathe. We will be at the meeting."

The presence was gone after that, and he managed to help Saithe wash off the excess and caked on blood from her skin and hair. The moment she was cleaned up, he had her settle on his shoulders to recline over them. Her platter of meat and hearts was claimed next in the bedroom. When he got to the Heart Chamber, he noticed a patch of carpet was on the ground. Smirking, he let his skeletal throne appear there for him to sit in. It was to hold her in his lap, too, so she could eat.

"She got sick?" Shade asked when he approached them.

"Yes. She's fine now. And I suppose I get a front row seat?" Horny smirked.

"You know it," he grinned. Saithe was busy devouring every scrap of meat on the platter now. When she was going to lick it clean, another platter was offered to her. With her immediate hunger sated, she was able to start chewing on some of the more tender pieces, as the others started to appear.

Bile Demons, Trolls, various undead, Warlocks, and Goblins all filed into the chamber. The undead kings were stationed near where Horny was settled close to the Heart. Shadowsbane was able to carefully step around the smaller minions, and they made room for him. He was heading right over to Horny and Saithe to lay down behind them. Other various minions that Saithe didn't recognize started to file around to hear what the Keeper had to say. The Warlock that was Possessed before was taken over again. At the glare given around the room, they all knew who it was.

" _We know of the battle ahead. We know that not all may survive. My Horned Reaper has decided to not lead this charge. I will not sacrifice the ones that the child of My Heart has given Me. The dragon shall remain here to assist with My research. We must plan carefully,_ " the Keeper advised through the Warlock.

"Horny isn't going to lead?!" a Goblin gaped.

"My mate is bearing offspring," Horny said with a glare.

" _A flaw,_ " the Keeper muttered. At the hard gaze he got from the Horned Reaper, a cold smile was given back. " _Worry not. Even a flaw can be improved upon. I will allow this imperfection to become a perfection._ "

"You will  _not_  call my offspring a flaw," Horny said dangerously. Saithe was tense, but she knew her mate was handling this. "Yes, Saithe said to abort it from her. I am the one declining that decision. My decision is final."

" _I have noted it. It has been decided for you to remain here to guard the child of My Heart and My Heart, as well. But, as this is decided, a replacement for the one to lead My army needs to be done. I shall Possess the one chosen and lead the front,_ " the Keeper said sternly. " _This enemy is old. It is ancient. It will die._ "

"All hail our Keeper!" another Goblin rooted. Cheers and whistles went around the chamber, and the Keeper rose up the Warlock's hands to silence them.

" _If the flaw...your offspring...is to thrive, you are correct on nourishment. The land above will suffice. But, we must clear out the distractions first. This land is rich in resources. We shall take them all when we are able. My Shadow Demon will spy on our enemy. We shall keep to surprise. I shall have a room constructed to claim the enemy's army as My own. But, that will need to be done when the surprise is gone._ "

"True," Shade nodded. "If minions go missing, the enemy will know."

" _Yes. My Mistress, your chamber will be expanded. Keep your human on his leash. If not, he may become the next meal that the child of My Heart will consume,_ " the Keeper warned. The Mistress nodded at this. She wouldn't argue. " _I may have others to assist you. If you wish to keep your human male to yourself, I would lock him away until this is over. Such subjects can only become toys to others._ "

"I will care for mine," the Mistress nodded again. "I will not share my toy."

"Saithe will research for you," Horny said. He was a touch bitter that he would be replaced for leading a charge, but he glanced down at his mate. She was curled up in his lap and shaking. He could tell she was pissed. "What?"

"You should abort this offspring and lead the charge," she whispered.

"No," he muttered. Shadowsbane was clearly worried about her. At a glance to the Priest that was listening in along the wall, the turned human was quick to take the hint. At the sight of him approaching, Horny glared. "There is nothing you can do. This is her pregnancy. I'm letting this one live."

"Ah! Okay," the Priest nodded. "I could make some calming tea that is comprised of blood and herbs. It may help?"

"Hmm. Fine. If she throws it up, then we'll stop," Horny nodded. Then he looked at the Possessed Warlock and said, "Do you have an idea of my...temporary replacement? I will not stop leading your charge in the future."

" _I would hope not,_ " the Keeper chuckled. " _There is one in mind. This one lives in a cave on the surface. Have our newest recruits bring that one in. It will be hard to convince this one...unless it is strapped down neatly. Of course, things may change, but this is what I know right now._ "

"I'll ready a table," the Mistress grinned. Daren would help her with that. She was slowly training him on how to assist her. Saithe gave a wide yawn and snuggled into her mate's chest. When she looked over, she noticed that the Keeper was giving her a rather intense gaze. When she noticed that it was a form of lust, she paled.

" _Being in the mind of another is...disturbing. I shall be more careful of it in the future,_ " the Keeper muttered. The Keeper knew that he was caught looking. Such a thing was something he did on occasion, but, in the mind of another, he now saw exactly how desirable she was. Horny seemed to hiss and shift with her to block her from being seen. Shade had his jaw dropped at what he just witnessed.

"If you touch her, I will take her and leave," Horny said with a seething form of intense hatred. The Keeper pulled back the Warlock's head and laughed. Saithe's eyes widened at the threat, but she remained quiet.

" _If you must, you can leave. However, your offspring shall remain,_ " the Keeper grinned wickedly. " _It was conceived in My domain. It shall stay in My domain._ "

"He is goading you," Saithe whispered to her mate. "Testing you. Don't give in. It's not worth it. He's already letting you stay behind with me. Leave it at that."

"Do you think it's easy to be taunted and...!" he hissed. When her hand came up to caress his cheek, he trembled with control.

"It's not worth it," she said again.

"If he does touch you..." he growled.

"Not now. We'll talk later. After this war is done," she said carefully. The Keeper was clearly amused.  _She was able to tame the Horned Reaper._  He knew she could do that, but to witness it in the eyes of a minion was something else. He would have more to think about it, but time was of the essence.  _We have to recruit one that did not wish to be recruited. The enemy would be caught unaware. If we were to strike, it would need to be done quickly._

" _Let us not waste any more time,_ " the Keeper said sternly once more. " _I shall have my Imps find the location of the one we need. The location is not far off. A different direction of the enemy, if that. We must move now._ "

When the Warlock came around again and was told what needed to be done, he left for the main Library to research. Horny was still pissed off, but Saithe kept him focused on her. He was quick to take her back to their lair. Even as he rested in her heart bed with her, he was now intensely worried. _How does a Keeper even try to breed? The last thing I would want is to be Possessed. Can one like myself even be Possessed? If the Keeper knew what was good for him, it wouldn't be tried. But, who's to say what would happen when boredom set in?  
_


	31. Chapter 31

The next several hours were spent with careful excavation under the earth. They had to find the one that would help them win the battle. As the zombies searched up above, the Keeper decided to have his Imps carefully start to reclaim old, abandoned chambers from the previous Keepers that tried and failed through the years. His hope was to box in the old rival.  _Stealth was the key._  It was how he survived for so long.

When Saithe was agitated, Horny was able to start having her research the Library in the room. She was quite adept at it. And, as she researched, she felt her own powers grow. She had to break to eat when she needed it, but she actually found herself enjoying the research she did. It kept her preoccupied enough for Horny to leave her in what peace he could. He had to survey the dungeon to ensure the others were working hard.

When he heard a commotion at the entrance, he snorted and made his way there. What he found surprised him. The zombies had pulled a Rogue out of hiding. The dark clothed, half-masked human was seen before as another minion, but this one was special. He had stolen plans from their enemy successfully. And he was refusing to give over what he knew. The Mistress already had a special set up for him to extract the information she needed for their cause.

Horny crossed his arms over his chest to watch silently. Shade was even there to find out what was discovered. While they were kept entertained with this, the Keeper decided to check on someone. He found himself gazing down into Saithe's chamber. She was reading a book while sitting in Horny's throne. When she reached a blank page, the Keeper decided to start writing.

 _You are alone?_  The words suddenly appeared. She blinked at this.

"What are you?" she asked stiffly.

_I spoke to the others not long ago. I am curious of your...condition._

"You spoke to us? Oh. You are the Keeper?"

_Yes, child of My Heart. I wish to know more about you._

"After all this time?!" she growled with disgust.

_Ha! Yes. I sat in the sidelines to watch and observe. Such is my nature. But, as My Horned Reaper is...preoccupied, I find Myself here to speak with you._

"What do you want to know?" she frowned.

_Your birth. Your inheritance. All of it._

"Well, you could ask my Father this. He could tell you."

_I could. But, I will not. I want you to tell me._

"You're bored," she muttered. "I will not give you such satisfaction."

_I am hardly bored, child of My Heart. Your talent is different. Powerful. Will your offspring gain this talent? Do you know?_

"Hardly. And I am done speaking with you," she said calmly and closed the book to put it back. Much to her surprise, the book suddenly hovered in the air to flip its pages open by an unseen hand. She bared her fangs with surprise and growled. She was getting irritated. This didn't bode well for anyone.

 _You will be done when I say we are done._  The words appeared swiftly.  _Answer My questions. I wish to know._

"Do I look like I'm in a condition to answer questions?!" she snapped. The door suddenly opened to let Horny in. He sensed that something was amiss. At the hovering book, Saithe's pissed off expression, and the feeling that the Keeper was around, he snarled. She gestured to the floating book lightly.

"Keeper. What do you want with my mate?!" Horny seethed. At this, the book simply dropped to the ground, and the room felt empty again. He looked at Saithe's irritable, shivering form of anger. "What did he want?"

"He wanted to know of my past. My lineage and upbringing. I told him to ask my Father. He said no. He was bored. He pissed me off. You can check the book," she growled darkly. She kicked the book over to him. He was able to pick it up and read the whole conversation. He swore, tossed the book aside, and snorted while he thought.

"Come with me," he said lightly. She looked at him and trembled. "We'll take a walk. A Rogue was brought to the Torture Chambers. We just got information on our enemy. We found a weak point. However, we need a stronger ally. One that we had never recruited before. Have you ever heard of Dark Angels?"

"I can't say that I have," she admitted. She finally calmed down enough to sigh and move to his side. He placed a hot hand on her belly and kissed her. Then he grinned a bit wickedly to have her echo his grin.

"You will soon enough," he chuckled. "They are as brutal as Dark Knights."

"Truly?" she purred.

"Yes. You've seen our Temple before. We had to expand it. Come," he said. He let her climb onto his shoulders to recline. _She was getting exhausted again._

"We should abort the damned thing," she muttered.

"No," he smirked. He reached up to pat her rump while he walked. He knew she was ready to fall asleep again. His thoughts were correct when he heard her light snores. He chuckled softly to himself.  _I can keep her with me this way._  He felt better about it, too. He sniffed the air and turned to find Shade walking up to him.

"New mode of transport?" the Shadow Demon grinned.

"After what the Keeper tried to pull, a permanent one!" Horny spat.

"What?"

"The Keeper was able to write to her in a book she was researching!"

"That's new," Shade frowned.

"He's getting interested in her," Horny growled. "I will not allow it."

"I wouldn't, either," he agreed. "We'll talk later. Anyways, we found out what we need to know. You may enjoy this."

"Oh?" Horny asked with interest.

"If we manage to work our way behind the enemy, the walls to the domain are weak. We can dig right into them. All of the attacks have been frontal. But, if we work our way off to a side and then behind..."

"We can have a surprise advantage," he grinned.

"Our little Rogue has also seen where the enemy Heart is located. It's also near the back," Shade grinned wickedly. "The Imps are already tunneling through the dirt carefully. Shadowsbane has agreed to guard the single opening they used behind a magic door. Any that break in will deal with him."

"Very good," Horny nodded. "If we plan this right, we won't even need a room to Scavenge other minions."

"That would be a nice outcome," Shade agreed. "There was something else we found out. You may be a touch...perplexed."

"What?"

"There is another Horned Reaper. However, you are far stronger. This one has been lax from lack of conquests."

"Lovely," he snorted with sarcasm. "I'll kill him!"

"And, if he chooses to join us?"

"Impossible! One Reaper to a dungeon. It's our law. We abide by it. If I am challenged, I will slay him!" Horny spat. "Saithe is my mate. My life. I will not hand her over to anyone. I doubt our Keeper will, either."

"To do that is instant defeat," Shade muttered.

"It can be. Anyways, I want to see the new Temple being constructed. Shall we?" Horny asked. Shade nodded and they walked together. The room with the giant pool just had a large hand constructed in the very center. Various minions were already praying around it to enhance the spiritual power for the Keeper. Saithe woke up mildly at where they were, yawned, and got comfortable again to sleep.

There was another commotion, and Horny swerved lightly. _A Dark Angel had finally arrived._ He curled his lips back at the male, blue-skinned angel with large, black wings. He wore black armor pants with an overlay of blood red embroidery. His blood red eyes seemed to glow under the skull plate helm he wore over his bald head. The massive, bloodied sword he bore didn't look too friendly, either. He looked rather regal in stature and poise when he moved. The overly muscled creature was sure to be the one to lead the charge in Horny's stead.

"It looks like a champion finally arrived," Shade said with a small growl. "There is no need to search for one above us. Although, I'd prefer another..."

"You don't like them?" Horny grinned.

"You could say," he said in a cool manner. "that I had a mild...falling out with one. A disagreement. I killed him to show that I was in the right."

"Good. That means you can kill this one if he pisses us off," Horny smirked.

"Possibly," Shade muttered. He clearly detested Dark Angels. Horny was completely amused. He never knew that Shade had a hatred for any type of creature. Watching the Shadow Demon shudder for control and vanish into the shadows, he chuckled wickedly. That was when he noticed the Dark Angel coming over to him.

"The two of you should pray!" the new minion thundered out in a deep voice.

"No," Horny snarled. "I am a Horned Reaper. My mate is with offspring and sleeping. You want to wake her up and deal with her? Be my guest."

"Hmm?" Saithe asked when she opened up an eye to glare.

"Wonderful. You woke her up!" Horny scowled.

"What's this about?" Saithe asked when she rose up mildly to stretch from his shoulders. She had easily learned how to balance herself neatly.

"This is a Dark Angel. He wants us to help pray to the Keeper," Horny snorted. The Dark Angel was speechless at Saithe's beauty. She looked at his handsome face through a few lank locks of her stark black hair and chuckled. The Dark Angel meant nothing to her. She had her Horned Reaper. She was satisfied with him completely.

"No. I'm too tired. Sorry," she said with a slow drawl, as she lay back down on her mate's broad shoulders. Her black wings slowly came out as though to enfold around her mate, and her tail was quick to wrap around his waist. The Dark Angel was stunned. Then he got knocked into a wall from Horny's fist slamming into a slacked jaw. Saithe knew that Horny was pissed and braced herself on him. She knew him all too well.

"And  _that_  was for staring at her!" Horny seethed with anger before turning and moving back to his room with her. The Dark Angel only watched them leave silently. The Keeper was amused by all of this, as he watched from afar. And now he knew who to use when the time was right to approach Saithe in the future.


	32. Chapter 32

The time was fast approaching to lead a mass charge onto the enemy. The Dark Angel was healed up, ready, and itching to go. Various minions were ready to be led out. Horny was seated at the Keeper's Heart to guard it. Saithe was in his lap and curled up happily. As the newest minion looked over the troops, he wondered why the Horned Reaper wasn't assisting with the charge. The Keeper told him nothing. He was busy studying the different paths the Imps had dug.

The Dark Angel needed answers. He made his way to the Heart Chamber. When he saw Horny and Saithe, he began to walk over to them. Horny curled back his lip in warning when he got too close for comfort. Saithe was sleeping in his lap, and he didn't want her to wake up. The Dark Angel stopped in his tracks to ask his questions.

"Why do you not come?" the Dark Angel demanded to know.

"My mate is with offspring. The Keeper knows. You are here as a temporary replacement for me. I am guarding the Heart of the Keeper. Saithe is able to heal his Heart, if she must. The enemy cannot know of her. She would fight, but I forbid it," Horny growled out. "If she fights, it can endanger her. She could be caught and used for other purposes. That and it could injure my growing offspring within her."

"Can't she have offspring later?" he snorted.

"We did that before. As much as it would be preferred, I want this offspring to grow. The dragon, Shadowsbane, has eggs that are nearly ready to hatch. I vowed to have my offspring grow with his. I am keeping my vow."

"The dragon still fights!" the Dark Angel argued. "So should you!"

"What's all the racket?!" Saithe muttered, as she yawned. "You ask too many questions! My Father could tell you what you need to know, but he hates your kind. Go lead the charge and win the fight. It's all you have to do."

"Hmm..." the Dark Angel frowned. Horny narrowed his glowing yellow eyes. At that, the minion turned, flexed his wings, and walked off.

"I'm starting to hate him!" Horny scowled.

"I know," she sighed and reclined her back against his chest. "I'm getting hungry. Is there anything nearby?"

"There is," he nodded. "I can feed you."

"I'm tired, too."

"You'll sleep after you eat."

"I also want you, too," she grinned a bit.

"Okay. Eat first. Then I'll rape you senseless. You can sleep after that," he grinned. At her beaming, fanged grin, he kissed her passionately and reached for a heart that appeared on a plate with shadowed assistance. Deciding to use the heart in various ways to satisfy her, neither of them knew that they were being watched.

The Dark Angel was pissed. He felt that she should be his. As with all powerful minions, he had a rather massive ego. That blow to his jaw also started a slight vendetta against the Horned Reaper. As he walked and glowered at anything that stared at him for too long, he suddenly paused at a Warlock that walked up to him. He sensed the Keeper, and instantly showed his respect of loyalty.

" _Why do you show such...irritability...in My dungeon?_ " the Keeper mused.

"The Horned Reaper struck me as I ogled his mate," he replied. "The fault was mine. I still feel irked by him."

" _How would you feel if I told you that there may be a way to exact vengeance? To do something for Me in My stead as well?_ " the Keeper smirked.

"What do you have planned?" the Dark Angel asked.

" _Win My battle first. Then we shall talk further. My army is almost ready. The Imps have found the last spot to set the trap. We must be wary of the other Horned Reaper in My enemy's employ. He is not as strong as My Horned Reaper, but he will be formidable, nonetheless. Are you prepared?_ "

"Yes. I am ready to fight!"

" _I shall Possess you now. Then we shall go,_ " the Keeper said. " _We cannot waste any more time. The enemy may know of us at any moment._ "

"Then Possess me, and we shall go!" the Dark Angel said with a sharp nod. When the Warlock blinked awake and wandered off, the Dark Angel found his mind getting lulled into a sleepy haze. Then his body began to move of the Keeper's accord. It was also now that the Keeper filtered his thoughts in on what a future plan could be. The Dark Angel was quite amused, but it would be hammered out into something solid later.

The moment he reached the battle-ready minions, they started down the long path behind the enemy stronghold. The Imps were careful to leave their own form of a dungeon wall to overlap the enemy walls. This was in case the enemy Imps tried to tunnel out. They would have to dig through a wall that wasn't theirs and lose precious time. As the Keeper had the Dark Angel move forward, he finally paused at their destination. Grinning savagely, the Imps removed the last of the dirt blocking their way in. The moment the path was cleared, he released the Dark Angel to let the minions attack with full fighting ferocity.

The enemy was quick to counter, but the dungeon was a touch too spread out. In the end, minions had to be quickly picked up and dropped, but many were stunned at the fall and easy to dispose of. As they went to attack the enemy's Heart, the rival Horned Reaper was quick to run down the path to his enemy's Heart. Most of the army was laying siege to the dungeon. He was unopposed.

However, the Keeper was watching carefully. He actually wanted to see what would happen when the rival Horned Reaper saw Horny. And he knew that both Shade and Shadowsbane were waiting, too. When the rival Horned Reaper saw the massive dragon, he paused with confusion.  _Where did this creature come from?!_

" _You shall not gain entry!_ " Shadowsbane snarled and blasted out a mouthful of flames. Of course, the flames did nothing, but the massive, taloned claws easily struck the rival Reaper aside. When the dragon went to snap down with his massive jaws, the rival Reaper was quick to dodge and bolt past him. The dragon wanted to follow in pursuit, but the Keeper gave the sensation to stay put in case others appear. It was Shade's turn soon, anyways.

"Clever," the rival Reaper growled at the organized dungeon. "Very clever."

"It should be," Shade smirked when he appeared. "Not all of us went to the fight. Your master's Heart is almost destroyed."

"I got sick of working for that whiny ass, anyways," the rival Reaper smirked. "I'd rather work for this one, if he wins."

"Then you would have to defeat our resident Horned Reaper. And he is far stronger than you," Shade grinned and laughed when he vanished away. The rival Reaper snarled at that and trudged forward. Shade had already forewarned his daughter and her mate of the intruder. Horny wanted to fight him and test his strength, if he reached them. A quick plan was already drawn out.

Saithe was sitting alone in Horny's chair and reading a book to research. When she looked up, she snarled with disgust. This Horned Reaper looked a touch too thin in various parts of his chest and limbs. Her Horned Reaper was perfectly muscled and flawless. This new Reaper also had a far more slender built face than her mate's. She was clearly not impressed with this one. As for him, she completely fascinated him. She was destined to be mated by Horned Reapers only. And she was happily bound to one.

"My mate is nearby," she growled and rested a hand on her belly.

"Mate?" the rival Reaper asked. Even his voice wasn't perfectly deepened out. It was almost there, but not quite.  _Was this a younger Horned Reaper? It had to be._  He didn't fail to notice how her hand went over her belly, too.

"Yes. My mate," she mused. "And he's far older than you, I think."

"I am over seven hundred years old!" the rival Reaper growled. "And I shall replace him and become your new mate. I'll remove that parasite in your belly to get you with proper offspring, too."

"I think not," she muttered. "You're too dull for me. You're not perfect. My Horned Reaper is completely perfect. And he's definitely older than you."

"By at least two thousand years," Horny growled right behind the rival. The shadows were able to hide him away. Now the rival turned and swiped a scythe at him. It was neatly blocked and parried. "My parasite offspring, as you say, will be far stronger than any you could ever produce! To touch her means that you have to kill me! And that  _will not_  happen! You are at your end!"

"So you think!" the other seethed and clashed his scythe against Horny's again. This one was impatient. He always got the upper hand by charging into the fray and rending everything limb from limb. On weaker enemies, it was fine. Horny had far too much experience to know how to deal with this lesser one, though. He neatly locked the other's scythe to the floor and sucker-punched him into the wall.

"I am your better!" Horny glowered and braced himself up, as he raised his scythe. "Your time ends now."

"So it seems..." the other growled. As Horny swung, the other charged and impaled him with one of his horns. They weren't just for decoration. But, even as wounded as he was, Horny grabbed at his rival's other horn to yank himself free and snap his neck with a violent twist. Now that the rival was dead, he turned to see his mate. She was staring in horror at the wound he was forced to endure.

"Horny!" she shouted and ran to him.

"Saithe..." he whispered and fell to his knees. Then he fell on his side. She rushed to his side and moved him to rest on his back. She tore open her wrist to press into his mouth to drink her blood. Then she pressed her wrist to his wound to have the hole start to heal. He gasped and roared in pain from the mending. The rival horn had first impaled one of his lungs. When it got ripped out, he injured his other lung and part of his heart. At the feel of her hand caressing his cheek, he gazed up into her black eyes.

He let himself get tumbled away. He relaxed easily now that the pain seemed to melt away. She reclined herself just as easily on his powerful form and placed her hands on each side of his face. Since the wound was so savagely done, it was going to take time to heal. He didn't want to heal out in the open. He knew the enemy was dead now. He had a sense to know when victory was at hand. When he showed signs of improvement, he was able to heal her wrist and hug her.

"Just rest," she smiled.

"Not...out here..." he grunted and winced, as he moved.

"Horny! You should not move!" she spat.

"I will rest. But not out here," he growled and pulled her with him when he began to walk. She frowned at him, but she nodded with understanding.  _He wanted to rest in our chambers where we wouldn't be interrupted._

"Reaper!" the Dark Angel shouted when he charged over. Saithe now stood in front of her mate protectively and glared. At the sensation of falling into a bottomless pit when he locked eyes with her, the powerful minion stumbled and nearly fell to his knees.

"He is wounded. He killed a rival Horned Reaper that you failed to keep from getting here!" she hissed out with disgust. "You will not disturb us. When Horny is better, he will find you. Leave us."

At the glare that Horny gave next, the Dark Angel knew that, even though he was weakened, he could still fight. He saw the closing wound on his massive chest and saw how severe it was. When he saw the dead corpse on the ground, he realized how he got the wound. The Dark Angel had come over to gloat over his victory. Just knowing that he failed an invasion, even by one minion, was a mocking blow to his pride.

"Do not follow us," Horny warned. At that, he left with her. The moment they got into their chamber, the door locked behind them. Horny smirked and settled into Saithe's heart bed. She moved to recline on him again, and he sighed.  _Now I can rest and recover._  As a deep, healing sleep took over, she began to start getting drowsy, too. When her father showed up, she glared at him.

"He's healing. Keep quiet," she warned.

"I know," Shade nodded.

"The enemy is dead?"

"Yes. Any last minions are being imprisoned to be turned to our cause."

"Good," she nodded. "Horny killed the rival."

"I know. I saw the whole thing."

"You could have killed him."

"I hid Horny from view. He told me to not interfere. He also wanted to test the other Reaper's strength for himself."

"Ah. I see. I also noticed that I'm, apparently, attractive to Horned Reapers."

"Yes. You are made to only be mated with one."

"That other was weak! And far too young," she muttered.

"I am aware," he chuckled. "I will not allow any to interfere with his healing."

"Thank you," she yawned and settled herself in her mate's embrace. Even in sleep, he kept a crushing hold on her. When Shade left to watch the troublesome Dark Angel, she let herself drift off to sleep with her face pressed into her mate's neck.


	33. Chapter 33

It took the rest of the day for Horny to properly heal. Saithe was able to feed him her blood whenever he woke. When he was finally strong enough, he sat up to clutch her sleeping form close. At the sight of a tray of freshly pulled animal hearts, he grinned.  _The newly acquired lands above us truly did have what she needed. Even the chunks of bloody flesh looked rather appetizing._

He pulled the tray over and popped a few pieces of flesh into his mouth. He needed to eat. He usually didn't, but, with all the healing he just did, it was needed. And it was inevitable for Saithe to wake up to the smell of fresh hearts.

"Here," he muttered and gave her the largest heart on the tray. She tore into it happily, and they soon had the platter cleared off. Another was quick to appear, much to her delight. When he finished eating his fill, he made sure she had the rest. She gave a small burp of satisfaction, and he chuckled at it. Moving from the heart bed now, he lifted her up in his arms to carry her to the nearby stream.

As they bathed, she examined Horny's chest. She noticed that the skin appeared flawless again, but there was likely a bit more healing being done underneath. It proved true when he winced slightly at the small rub she did to remove a bit of dried blood. She frowned at him, and he sighed a bit deeply.

"Still healing?" she asked.

"That I am," he shrugged. "It can't be helped."

"I'm guessing you've had worse?"

"Close to it," he smirked. "That one could rank right up there."

"What was the worst one you had?" she asked. He thought and pulled her close in the water. "Can you recall?"

"I had my leg partially severed off," he muttered out. "And that was at the base of my hip. That was a bitch to heal, too."

"I can only imagine," she frowned. "What caused that?"

"A Knight in my younger centuries," he shrugged. "I got careless. I learned from it. Never happened again. I simply move faster now."

"A good thing, too," she smiled and let him kiss her. "How long do you think it will take for this wound to heal?"

"It could be another day or two. With your blood, it could be faster. No, don't give me any more. Our offspring may get weakened. I'm healing just fine."

"I still think you should have more. Even if it's a mouthful," she said. "A mouthful here and there should be fine."

"I'll have some after your next feeding. You should be strong enough by then."

"I can do that," she agreed. He hefted her up to lay back down over his shoulders. He liked feeling her there and knowing that she was always with him. He glanced over at Shade when he appeared.

"That Dark Angel is getting on my nerves!" Shade growled.

"Not even gonna try and make a truce with him?" Saithe asked with a small, playful grin. He scowled at her.

"If you keep your distance from him, he can't do anything to you, right?" Horny asked. "Or are you trying to get close to him?"

"Oh, I watch him from a distance. He has an ego that makes me think I could cram ten Knights into it with no problem," Shade snorted. "Even more."

"Father, you got into a scuffle with only one of their kind," Saithe rolled her eyes.

"And, ever since then, I got into scuffles with the others," he growled back.

"And you would always win?" Doppy grinned.

"I'm made of shadows. They couldn't hit me if they tried," he retorted. "Besides, every time I go up to one, they try to force me into praying in the Temple. I don't do that. There's no need for me to."

"Well, I'm not impressed with this one, anyways," Saithe said a touch darkly. "He allowed another Reaper to get in here. I have nothing to say to that one."

"True," Shade sighed. "He did let the enemy slip through."

"He ran over to brag when the battle was won, and she shot him down with the knowledge," Horny grinned. "He wasn't very happy."

"You know, as I watched him, I noticed something. I think he has it out for you," Shade said to him. "He's been prowling around your lair at times. The door remained locked, but I noticed that. Hmm. He's on his way back now. My shadows just told me."

"Probably from the sucker punch I gave him before," Horny mused. Shade smirked and vanished away to watch from a distance. Saithe gave a yawn and rested her head on her arm to be like her pillow, as she lounged on his shoulder. He crossed his arms over his pierced, broad chest and let his intense, yellow gaze smolder at the approaching Dark Angel.

"You are doing better?" the Dark Angel asked.

"I am. What of it?" Horny growled in response. Saithe gave out another wide, fanged yawn and sighed after it. He tilted his head towards her and asked, "Are you hungry again? Or just tired?"

"Both," she muttered lazily. He nodded and offered her his wrist. She knew why he was doing it, and she was all too happy to watch the Dark Angel gape with shock at what she did next. Horny didn't even wince when she sank her fangs into his skin. His blood would tide her over for a bit.

"Take as much as you need," he said calmly. Then he smirked at the Dark Angel in front of him. "I doubt you would do this for her. Nor would I want you to offer it."

"Why should I? She clearly has you," he snorted back.

"That's right. And I'm all she'll ever need," he sneered lightly. After the fourth mouthful, Saithe was able to lick his wrist closed. Sighing with contentment, she closed her eyes in comfort. She wasn't even going to acknowledge the Dark Angel standing there. He lost all favor with her for letting her mate get harmed.

"What is the plan now?" she asked softly. He felt her trace a finger over a pointed ear, and he chuckled. "I'm growing bored."

"We could check out the new domains the Keeper has claimed," he suggested.

"About that," the Dark Angel said. "I was told to keep you both here."

"Why?" Horny asked with a raised brow.

"There are still pockets of enemies. This area is rich in resources, but word is spreading that the old one has been defeated. New Keepers are now moving in to see what they can plunder. This area is a prime landscape. What our Keeper is hoping for is to strip this area completely. Then we would leave it for scavengers," he explained.

"I see. Let the lions feast first. Then the vultures and flies get the rest. Fine. What's that sound?" Horny asked with a frown, as he turned. Saithe blinked at how he tensed up. He heard the wall about to be breached. "We are under attack!"

"What?!" the Dark Angel spat out. The Keeper was quickly alerted. Sure enough, enemy Imps were trying to tunnel into the dungeon. So, the Keeper tore down the wall with his own Imps and let Horny skewer the intruders. Saithe was calling the shadows down, and her father was quick to appear to help. After the area was under control, a magic door was set in place.

"I'll scout," Shade said.

"Please do," Horny snorted and gutted another enemy Imp in half. The tunnel that the Imps began to claim seemed to stretch for a ways out. He was itching to run down the path to fight, but Saithe's calming touch on the top of his head brought him back around. Glancing up at her, he grinned. "Care to explore with me?"

"I'd love to!" she crooned softly.

"I can't let you!" the Dark Angel scowled. "If she's discovered...!"

"I understand the concern, but she'll be with me, Dark Angel," Horny muttered.

"I have a name, you know," he snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well, you never gave it," Horny glowered.

"It's Orphek," he glowered back. "If we are to work together, we may as well be on a semi-equal level. Am I wrong?"

"Humph. Fine," Horny nodded slightly. Orphek nodded back at him. Saithe still paid no mind. That was fine by the Dark Angel. This was also part of the Keeper's plan.  _Nothing could be done while Saithe was pregnant._ He wanted Orphek to gain their trust first.  _To let him get close and prove that he could be seen as an ally._  As to what would happen after her child was born, that would be the true challenge. The Keeper had all the time in the world to wait. He was very patient. Patience always paid off.

Saithe nuzzled into her mate's ear to whisper, and he glanced at her with a small frown. Looking down at the long hallway and thinking of her safety, he grimaced.  _The enemy couldn't know about her. It would cause too much chaos. And, on top of that, who knew if there was another Horned Reaper in the distance?_ He saw how that weaker one was around Saithe.  _Now that she was bearing offspring, it would be instinctive for any to lay claim to her to remove it._  He was itching to do something, and she was, too. But, in the end, it was the strong instinct to guard his mate that won out.

"What's wrong?" Saithe frowned when he turned away from the new doorway.

"I can't risk your discovery. Not with offspring in you," he grumbled.

"Horny!" she said with dismay. He walked back into their lair, sat in his throne, and pulled her off his shoulders to settle in his lap. He cradled her close and sighed. Just feeling his strong arms around her when she was gathered to his chest made her drowsy. "You really know how to cheat, don't you?"

"You know I do," he grinned at her in a loving way. She moved her hand to caress his jaw and pull him down to kiss her. A hot hand rested against her belly, and that was enough to lull her to sleep. Leaning back now as he held her, he glanced at Orphek standing in the doorway. "What?"

"I suppose you're both staying here?" he asked.

"No choice in it. There is no need to check on me. I'll start thinking of you as the Keeper's pet, if you keep up with it," Horny glowered. He was protecting his sleeping mate. He was exceptionally dangerous right now. "You should do your part as my temporary first charge. Go follow that hallway. I know Shade is scouting, but you can do more and be a frontal attack."

"Fine," Orphek nodded. The Trolls were already building alarms and traps to put in various places. Imps and shadows were delivering them to where the Keeper needed them placed. The zombies were hard at work above ground to harvest the living resources there. All of the minions were either training, working, or preparing for war. When he went to the Heart, he saw Shade talking to a Possessed Warlock.

"We have three new Keepers that showed up," Shade said. "I have successfully made them aware of each other. They will distract each other while we claim what we want. Then, if all goes well, we can remove the winner of the battle."

" _Good. Let it be done,_ " the Keeper agreed. " _Ahh. My Dark Angel has arrived. I will have My Shadow Demon inform you of where these little threats are. My Imps are working hard to extract what they can. The harvest is being done on the surface, too. When we have amassed enough, we will leave. I am not one to stay in one place for too long. To linger so causes weakness. It is witnessed from the old one we just destroyed recently. Yes, we have the dragon's castle with his wealth. But, we must press on to spread what destruction is needed._ "

"I am aware of that," Shade nodded. "I may have the queen I enslaved guard the castle for us. It can be a place for us to go to, if we need to regroup and recover our losses. It is always good to have a place of retreat."

" _That is a very good choice to have. I accept,_ " the Keeper nodded.

"It is the heart of our territory now. We have enough surrounding lands and minions to keep us going. How much more extraction do we have? Do you know?" Shade asked. Orphek simply listened in on this. He had to know, too.

" _Another week may pass before we are done. I would like you to search for new areas of infiltration as this happens. Time is something that is not much of a luxury, if we stand still for too long,_ " the Keeper warned. Shade nodded and watched the Warlock come around and wander off. Shade now turned to regard Orphek and stiffened slightly. He would be tolerable, for the Keeper's sake.

"I will inform you when the time to strike will happen. There is not much else to do right now. We can only wait and let the three weaker Keepers use up their own resources first. Then we'll clean them out," Shade said.

"Agreed," Orphek nodded. He flexed his black feathered wings and walked off. At the sight of another Possessed Warlock in the distance, he nodded respectfully.

" _Excellent, My Dark Angel,_ " the Keeper chuckled. " _Keep earning their trust._ "

"I must, if I am to survive," he shrugged. "I will do what I can."

" _For us to both earn our desired goals, it will be achieved. I will watch all, as I usually do. I require you to go south. To follow the new path from My dungeon. There is something there for you to retrieve. It is powerful. Bring it to Me._ "

"I will," the Dark Angel nodded. The Warlock blinked awake and wandered off. Orphek smirked and now went to do the Keeper's bidding.


	34. Chapter 34

The item he found for the Keeper was a spell that would allow him to call all of his minions to a certain location. It was a last-ditch effort spell, if something was to seriously go wrong. The Imps were quick to claim it after Orphek destroyed the monsters that guarded it. A rather powerful Skeleton joined them, too. It would serve them well.

When Orphek returned, he found himself looking for Horny. Where that demon was, he would find Saithe. At the sight of their chamber door being locked, he felt disgruntled. When he was about to knock on the door, he stopped himself and moved to trace down where the rival Imps were coming from. He wanted to see the damage the rival Keepers were doing to each other. If he did well, he may earn some points with Saithe. It was a long shot, but he wanted to impress her.

What he found was pleasing. As one Keeper's domain was killed off, his Keeper's Imps were claiming empty rooms. Even the new portals nearby were claimed for even more minions to appear. At the sight of a new Mistress, she winked at him, but he snorted and looked away. There was only one female that appealed to him. _And she was heavily claimed._ The knowledge stung.

He trudged on until he saw where the fighting between Keepers started, and he easily stayed back. As he studied everything, he sensed something behind him.

"You should go back," Shade muttered and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"For what?" Orphek growled. "I am ensuring the weaker ones get removed."

"I have that covered. My shadows cannot be sensed. You can be sensed and blow our cover. If you want to help, go back to where you were before and look for more secrets. I have to remain focused here to cause diversions, if needed."

The Dark Angel was not happy about this, but even he knew how right the Shadow Demon was. Grumbling a bit, he trudged off back down the way he came. He wanted to fight and kill something. When an enemy Imp appeared, he paused.  _The Imp can't see me. Shade was covering me with a shadow._  That gave him an idea.

"Shadow Demon! Are you here?" he asked.

"Still am. Why?" Shade asked.

"Want to help me stir the nests?" Orphek grinned. Now Shade looked at him curiously. "You're shielding me. I don't give off fire to give away my location. You keep shielding me, I can run in and cause havoc. Then get out. I can do this to both sides. What do you think?"

"I'm surprised. Your idea holds merit. Fine. Let's play," Shade nodded with a wry grin. For an hour, Orphek ran through doing small attacks in various areas to cause confusion. When he got the attention of one Keeper, he led the trail back to the other. Then he sat back to watch the chaos. When the war reached a stalemate, he went back in to stir them up again. Shade hated to admit it, but it was the most fun he had in a while. He still wouldn't trust the Dark Angel, though.  _We are only working together to benefit the Keeper we were allied under. It simply had to be done._

"I think they are weak enough for us to go in and finish them off," Orphek smirked. Shade nodded and sent the alarm. The attacks were quickly in place, and the fresh army from his Keeper went in to lay waste to both opposing Keepers. Now they got to sit back and pick at the spoils of war.

"This was a good strategy. We will make use of it again," Shade said. "I am going to check on my daughter. See you around."

"The same," Orphek nodded. At least he was on a form of neutral ground now. The Keeper was pleased with this. When Shade appeared next to Horny, the large, red demon glared at him for a reason for the intrusion. He was sitting in his throne to keep her in his lap. He didn't want to be covered in blood right now. Saithe was finally sleeping deeply in his embrace, and he didn't want her to wake up. Shade was able to discuss what happened. Now Horny was a touch amused.

"His idea? Interesting. Will I trust him? No. But it shows he's useful," Horny smirked. "You should scout around and keep him busy."

"Already doing that," Shade nodded. "He was trying to find you earlier. For her. I'm just glad he decided not to."

"What?!" Horny seethed.

"My shadows report that he was ready to knock on your door," Shade grinned. Horny swore and tensed. When Saithe shifted, he grunted and supported her better. At her soft sigh of contentment, he relaxed.

"Keep him busy and away from us!" Horny snapped. "If I see him, I'll lop off his head! I refuse to deal with him."

"I know that all too well," Shade nodded. "I'll keep him busy."

"Do that. Now beat it!" Horny growled. Shade chuckled and vanished away. Horny snorted and got comfortable again. When she showed signs of hunger in her sleep, he pushed his wrist to her mouth to let her bite down. After two mouthfuls were claimed, he watched her instinctively lick his wrist closed and settle into a deeper sleep. He pressed a hand to her belly to feel his offspring move and kick at him. He smirked and sighed as he rested now.

It was moment later that she woke up from an intense hunger pain. She seemed to whine from it, and he was quick to offer his wrist again. To his surprise, she pushed it away. When he looked at her, she said, "I need something solid, Horny. Blood only goes so far now. Even your blood."

"I see. Fine," he nodded. A platter of hearts and tender meat pieces had already appeared, and he inspected it before letting her feast. He had her eat the smaller portions first to save the largest ones for emergency feedings. Setting the rest aside when she was full, he let her press into him with a sigh. He would have to make sure that a platter was nearby at all times.

"I'm so happy I'm with you," she said with exhaustion.

"I need no other," he said and continued to watch the room. When her hand reached up to rest on one of his horns, he growled and let her pull him down to kiss him.

"Take me," she muttered, and he was quick to position her on him. He hadn't been able to do much with her with everything happening, and it didn't take long for them to give in to the pleasure. It was what they both needed. The only problem he had was that her pregnancy didn't let him get fully into her. This was expected, though.

"Let's take a bath," he said and rose up with her. When she reached down to feel the wetness he left behind, he smirked. "You're pregnant. I can't get all of it in you anymore. So, we'll take a bath."

"Fine," she nodded. She realized that there was no searing heat to this.  _It was only when my womb is empty did the heat appear._ After they finished bathing, he let her climb back up to recline on his shoulders to get carried around. When she looked at the food tray, he plucked up the largest heart there to give to her. Smiling and eating it much like how one would eat an apple, he smirked and walked out into the main hallway with her. On glancing around, he trudged towards the main Heart Chamber.

He growled at any that looked at him, as he studied the Heart. Saithe had just licked her fingers clean when she glanced down at him curiously. He glanced at her and said, "I want to know what else lies in store for us."

"And how do you plan to know that?" she frowned.

"By exploring with you," he grinned. She grinned back. "The area around us should be clear. If it isn't, just stay where you are. You know how to stay on now."

"That I do," she nodded. Her tail grew out to coil around his waist, as he trudged to the nearest exit. When he got there, a door was brought over by an Imp to be constructed and locked. He fumed at this.

"He means to lock us in!" he snarled. She just smirked, glared at a wall, and let the shadows tear it down for them. That had him grin. The Keeper gave off a sensation of intense displeasure. Horny simply flipped off the air, as he walked with her. Now minions began to get dropped in front of him to hamper him.

"What is wrong with him?!" Saithe spat. At the sight of a Warlock coming to them, Horny knew that he was Possessed.

" _I do not want you to leave My domain,_ " the Keeper said. " _It is not desirable for Me to watch you go. Yes, the Keepers are dead, but I can feel that there is one other lurking about. Call it...intuition. I am having My Shadow Demon scour the ground now. When I know it is safe, I shall allow you to leave to explore at your whims._ "

"Another Keeper? Already?" Horny snorted.

" _Yes. And this one may prove...troublesome._ "

"Well, what are we to do? What do we know?" Saithe asked.

" _This one could be as ancient as Myself. Or could be weak in the ways of the world. Such is something we do not know. All I know is that I can detect the presence of one other Keeper. And this one was hiding. I sensed this when I saw My minions getting Scryed upon. I had to move them quickly. This Keeper also has the spell to allow temporary spying into My domain. And...there it is again..._ "

"I felt that, too!" Horny snarled. Saithe felt a prickling sensation on her skin like they were just being watched. And now she was seen. She turned her head to where the sensation was and glared. She could almost feel that her eyes did do a bit of damage. She actually felt a touch of fear from the black void of emptiness they gave off.

" _We may be attacked soon. The child of My Heart has been seen. Go back to your Lair and wait. Do not be out in the open,_ " the Keeper advised and released the Warlock. Horny swore violently and turned to head back. She simply rested her hand on top of his head and lightly caressed a horn. It calmed him some, but not enough.

"He is not your toy!" the Mistress snapped at the newer Mistress. "He is mine!"

"Finders keepers!" the newer Mistress grinned and kept hold of the leash on Daren. Horny walked in, sucker-punched the newer Mistress into a wall to stun her, and gave over the leash. The human looked relieved, but Horny ignored him.

"Saithe was seen. We may be attacked. Lock him up to keep him safe," Horny growled. "And torture her to make her happy again."

"Of course. And thank you," the Mistress nodded.

"And send out a word for the dungeon's whore that she wants to play. She looks bored," Horny smirked at the strapped down maid. She was kept alive by being fed raw chickens and stale water. Saithe sneered with disgust at her.

"One of the minions got her pregnant," the Mistress grinned wickedly.

"I guess we'll find out who when she gives birth," Saithe snickered and let Horny carry her away. When Orphek appeared, Saithe sniffed and looked away.

"There is another Keeper. Saithe was spotted. Be ready for an attack," Horny warned him. "If you want to play with something, we have a dungeon whore in the Torture Chamber. Do what you like with her."

"No thanks. I'll ready myself for war," Orphek said and trudged off to the Temple to increase the praying. At the sight of another Dark Angel appearing from the newer portals, Horny growled and walked away with Saithe quickly to keep her from being seen.  _At least the dungeon would be well protected._

"We should claim another castle after this," Saithe mused.

"If you're raising offspring, then it may not be possible. Unless we have others watch them when they are old enough. That could be done. Demon spawn grow fast. Within a month they could be adults. You could be giving birth in two months, too. I'll watch you closely. If we live through this battle, we'll scout around for the next castle to conquer. That can be done," he nodded. She sighed and continued to recline lazily on his shoulders. When her father appeared, the report was given.

"Another one?! And Saithe was seen?!" Shade said with a touch of hatred. "Can you tell what direction?"

"East," Saithe muttered.

"I'll scour the areas east for now," he nodded. "I'll let you know what I find."

"Do that," Horny nodded and walked back into his chamber with her. Shade now moved quickly to send the shadows out. What he found disturbed him. He moved to the Heart Chamber and nodded. He felt the Keeper watching him curiously.

"My Keeper, I have found the location of our rival. This one is not as ancient as you, but is just as cunning. A massive army is well-trained and readying for attack. Orphek and I do have a strategy to cause some havoc. I did notice another Dark Angel that came in. With both of them, even more can be done. We can whittle the enemy down slowly to cause chaos within the ranks. I am unsure if I can cover more than two with shadows, but I can try. What do you think?"

At the sensation to proceed, Shade nodded. He moved to the Temple and confronted Orphek with the news.

"We shall go now. The new ones' name is Argef. He and I will work together with you. No others may be needed," Orphek nodded. Argef was called for, and the three of them moved quickly. Shade noticed that Argef wasn't as filled out as Orphek was, but he was every bit as lethal.  _If anything, Argef was faster._

"What are we doing?" Argef asked.

"The Shadow Demon will hide us. We go in from different areas to do small attacks. Not a direct one. The army is, apparently, formidable. Once we weaken their lines, our army will rush in to finish it off. We need to hurry," Orphek said.

"Saithe was seen. We must hurry," Shade growled.

"Saithe?" Argef asked.

"My daughter. She's the mate of the Horned Reaper in our residence," he said. "And she's with offspring. And remember, Orphek. I didn't see another Horned Reaper, but don't let any attempt to escape. And, just because I didn't see another doesn't mean that there may be one in hiding."

"I know," Orphek growled with a nod. Argef hadn't met Saithe yet. Horny had moved her away from sight quickly to avoid the confrontation. When the trio got to where the enemy domain started, Shade enveloped them with shadows.

"You're both set. Move now!" Shade said and vanished to watch from the shadows. Orphek and Argef grinned wickedly at each other. It was time to have some fun and see what they could do.


	35. Chapter 35

Their teamwork was so flawless that the enemy's minions started to desert the rival Keeper out of frustration alone. Shade's Keeper was able to Scry into the various Lairs and rooms to convince them to join his side. Once the army was whittled down significantly, the true attack happened to lay waste to the rival Heart.

While this was going on, Saithe was getting nuzzled by Horny. At her sudden wicked grin, he looked at her to get a response. "Oh, I was just thinking of a way to take another castle. Since I can't leave, I was wondering if image projections could be done. We have two Dark Angels now. I was thinking small visions of me, in angel form, getting bullied by the two of them. But, it would all be done here to lure the army down here for slaughter. What do you think?"

"Hmm..." Horny mused at this. "It does sound...intriguing..."

"Do you think it could work?" she chuckled.

"If it was done like dreams, it might work. We'll ask your father when he comes back around. He may have some ideas," he grinned. "And I'll be close by to monitor you. Of course, it would need to be done after you give birth."

"I know that," she smiled and kissed him. "I'm talking about when we are ready to try. I wouldn't want to do anything right now."

"Good. I would have declined it," he snorted and kept a hot hand on her belly. She had stretched three inches while she slept. His offspring was definitely growing swiftly. She reclined easily on him and let him feed her. He had to make sure she was eating. He glanced up at the sight of Shade appeared before them.

"The other Keeper is defeated," the Shadow Demon chuckled.

"Good to know," Horny mused. "Oh. Tell me what you think of this..."

Shade now listened intently at Saithe's idea. He was clearly amused. "I think this can work. As long as everything is heavily monitored."

"That goes without saying," Horny growled. "and she will not be pregnant when it happens. I can't allow that. As for now, she just needs rest. And she needs more to drink. What do we have here?"

"Let's see what we can drain from the chickens," Shade grinned. As they worked on her needs, the Keeper had Possessed another Warlock and moved into the Torture Chambers. The maid was actually being ignored for now. He already had a plan for her. Her body was bruised up from the mating abuses she went through, but her eyes snapped open at the cold hand that settled on her belly.

" _I see. A flaw is developing in you now. But, I do not approve of this one. Therefore, it shall be removed. I wish to try an experiment. And you shall be My first test subject. I shall return,_ " the Keeper smirked and let the Warlock wake up in front of her. As the minion gave in to his urges quickly, the Keeper only smirked and went to find Orphek. The Dark Angel was on his way to the Temple when he felt the Keeper's aura around him. The Possession was swift, and he began a mental conversation.  _:I am testing something. Do not complain. I must ensure that this works properly:_

"What are you planning?" Orphek was able to ask physically.

_:To create an offspring with you while using another. The one in the Torture Chambers will need to be used. It must be tested.:_

"I do not want to touch that heathen!" Orphek scowled.

 _:Do you not wish for the child of My Heart to bear you an offspring?:_  the Keeper chuckled softly, as he moved the Dark Angel's body. Orphek muttered.  _:I know how much you desire her. And this is to test. If it proves well, we can simply remove what was made. What is in this female now needs to be removed.:_

"And who do you have planned to help remove it?"

 _:I figured that you would like that honor.:_  the Keeper chuckled.

"She is human. She can die. It may be best to wait and let her birth this one. We can see how long it can take with her," he said. At this news, the Keeper thought and seemed to sigh. His minion did have a point.

 _:I am curious, though...:_  the Keeper mused.  _:Why does the other female disgust you? I thought you would like to be properly entertained.:_

"There is only one female that deserves me. And you know who that is," he grunted. The Keeper only laughed and thought again.

 _:My other Dark Angel has yet to meet the child of My Heart...:_  he started.

"No! Argef is not allowed to see her!" Orphek growled.

 _:Already showing possession for a female that is not yours?:_  he asked. The Dark Angel growled again and felt the Possession lift. He shook his head and turned to go back to the Temple. As he walked down the hallways, he found Argef walking over to him with a purpose. Then he simply walked past Orphek.

"Where are you going?" Orphek asked.

"Exploring," Argef muttered out. The other Dark Angel narrowed his eyes with suspicion and decided to follow at a safe distance. What he saw did not settle with him. Horny had just decided at that moment to take Saithe to the river. Now Argef paused with shock at Saithe's dark, perfect beauty. And Horny gave him a right hook to the jaw.

"Don't stare at my mate!" he snarled after the punch was given. Saithe just sighed, shook her head, and chuckled while he carried her off. He was still growling by the time they reached the riverbed, but he would have wished he was there to see the massive brawling fight between the two Dark Angels. Shade was enjoying it immensely, though.

"She is to be with me!" Orphek snarled.

"Says who?!" Argef snapped. The fight between them lasted for a good thirty minutes before they finally let up. At this time, Horny was watching the tail end of the fight. And, for a twist of complete fate, two Dark Knights had just walked over and caught a glimpse of Saithe. Now these two got punched and snarled at.

"Interesting," she mused. "Apparently, now that I'm with offspring, quite a few of the stronger males here are trying to vie for my affection. You know...I could use this to an advantage..."

"Oh?" he asked. She whispered softly to him, and he started laughing wickedly. He set her down carefully to let her clear her throat loudly. That got the attention of the four brawling males. Shade now appeared close by to stand watch over her.

"Since it's quite apparent that you all seek to impress me," she said in a purring tone. "I think this can be settled only one way."

"What way?" Orphek spat out some blood from an inner cut cheek.

"The Combat Pit," she smiled. "The winner will become my personal champion. My guard for when Horny is away on business matters. What do you all think?"

The four males looked at each other with small glares. Her hair was covering over her body like a black waterfall of silk, and Horny remained behind her the whole time. He didn't trust any of them. Argef mused over everything and glanced at the other three. Then he simply turned and made his way to the Combat Pit. The others scoffed at this and were quick to follow. Horny found himself cracking a grin and let Saithe climb back up to settle on his shoulders.

"I won't trust them, but...what do you plan for them to do?" Horny asked.

"Stand outside our door and play as messenger and guard," she grinned wickedly. He barked out his laughter at this. Even Shade was dying.  _The males had no idea._  "Do you think I would honestly allow any of them to touch me? Much less to stand watch over me while inside our chamber? Please!"

"Oh, they will all get their just rewards..." Shade snickered and followed them. Even the Keeper was highly amused at this. He still wanted Orphek to win, though. He studied the others and knew they could also work, but he chose this Dark Angel in the beginning. He would ensure that this minion would win the fight.

When they got to the Combat Pit, the reason for the fight was given out. Now, much to Saithe's surprise, other monsters wanted to join the fight. Not all of it was for the thrill of fighting. Many did covet her and figured it would be noteworthy to try and become her champion. She would be studying each one intently.

She was surprised that a Bile Demon and a Goblin joined the fight. She was a touch impressed at the fighting a Dark Knight did, but she was only showing minor interest. It was what she had to do. If any slipped up, she smirked and clucked her tongue. Horny simply snorted and reached up a hand to let her sink her teeth into his wrist. She only took a few sips before healing him and stretching with contentment.

"I'm getting bored," she yawned and flicked her tail. Horny snatched her tail to tug on lightly, and he grinned at her hiss of distaste.

"Hmm..." Shade mused aloud, as he watched Orphek gain a sudden increase in strength. "I think the Keeper is helping him."

"Oh?" she frowned.

"He was falling short before. Now he's almost the last one standing. I noticed that, whenever he started to get overwhelmed, he suddenly pulled through at the last minute. In a rather miraculous way, if you ask me," Shade muttered lightly.

"I don't think I want to see the winner," Horny muttered back. "If the Keeper is favoring that one, then we already know who will win."

"True. But, I feel a touch, oh, obligated to watch. It's fun watching others beat themselves up for my amusement," she chuckled.

"You were bored just a bit ago. Now you're amused?" Horny asked.

"It's my nature now," she mumbled and yawned. She was struggling to stay awake. He felt his offspring lightly kicking the back of his neck, but he ignored it. When she yawned again, he smirked and continued to watch the fighting for her. He felt her fall asleep soon after. Shade was clearly amused now.  _The fighting put her to sleep._

"Do we keep watching for her?" her father asked.

"Why not?" Horny smirked. As they thought, Orphek was the last one standing. He was clearly the strongest one out of them all, but only because the Keeper was helping him. Horny gently woke up Saithe and pointed to the middle of the Pit.

"I see you lived. Fine. You can be my champion. Right now, though, all you will do is ensure no one disturbs my chamber. You will guard just outside the door. In time, you may be doing other things for me. If there is a battle, then you will fight for me. While there is nothing to be done, you will stand guard for me. If any seek audience that I have not approved of, you are to turn them away. By any means necessary," she said. Orphek seemed to pause at this. Horny was grinning widely. Shade was just laughing and had no shame to hide it.

"I'm just going to be a guard dog?!" Orphek asked with disdain.

"You wanted to be my champion. I'm sure any of them would gladly take your place," she chuckled softly. Argef was definitely showing that he would take the offer. Orphek grumbled, but he accepted the current duty. "Maybe I should put a collar on him. Do you think he would mind?"

"Don't do that," Horny grunted. "Only I belong to you."

"So...you should get a collar?" she grinned wickedly.

"Behave," he warned. She laughed softly and twitched her tail, as her wings shifted for balance. "I love you to pieces, but there are times you try my patience."

"Works both ways," she snorted. That got him to grin at her. The Keeper was watching everything from afar and calmly looked over his new domains. Even as the rival Keeper's dungeons were being taken over, he was already plotting of where to go next. Something to the west was pulling his attention there. He mused to himself and spread his awareness in that direction. It was a region filled with volcanic ash, lava, and intense volcanic eruptions. Something of power was definitely there.

He found a Warlock to Possess and went up to Shadowsbane. The massive black, undead dragon was guarding over his eggs. He recognized the Keeper right away.

" _To what pleasure may I have in your appearance?_ " he hissed.

" _A place of volcanic rock to the west calls to Me. Do you know of such a place?_ " the Keeper asked. Shadowsbane thought and blinked his eyes slowly.

" _There are many places of volcanic regions that I knew of long ago. If you can collect for me a small sample of rock, I can recognize the scent. If it is a new place, I will tell you. This much I know I can do,_ " the dragon nodded.

" _And do tell me. How do you feel of the child of My Heart possibly having a form of offspring from Me?_ " the Keeper asked. At this, the dragon was a touch surprised.

" _It would fully piss off the Horned Reaper. He would start to murder all around him and pull the developing offspring from his mate's body. He will not allow it to grow. Why do you wish for such a thing to happen? I mean, if it was me, I would Possess the Horned Reaper directly. It would be difficult to attempt, but, this way, it's still his offspring and not another's. And, yes, he may leave this dungeon. Such may be the cost for such a betrayal to him. But, the choice is yours. Also, I may leave with him. Saithe is the one that brought me back to life. I owe her._ "

" _And I do understand that concern. Perhaps I can...reason with My Horned Reaper. It may be possible,_ " the Keeper thought now. He really didn't want to lose the trust of his main muscle. " _I must think on this._ "

" _That you should,_ " the dragon nodded and curled about the eggs with a sigh. The Keeper only nodded back and left him alone. He didn't leave the Warlock yet, though. He was deep in thought on various things.  _To Possess the Horned Reaper would be a feat in itself. At the same time, I would be breaking a vow._  Now he had to think over if it would be worth it or not. That was the true question.


	36. Chapter 36

A solid month passed by with no other hindrances. And the Keeper was ready to move the dungeon again. A small sample of volcanic rock was obtained, and Shadowsbane did not recognize the scent at all. It would be completely new territory. Shade was informed, and scouting shadows were sent. What they found out was very interesting. The area housed a very powerful artifact that boosted the power of any Keeper that held it. And it was being guarded by some very nasty monsters.

There was a strategic meeting being done on how to either get past them or defeat them. The Keeper had moved the dungeon to a location that was just outside of the main detection range of the volcanic region. It was proven that any that took one physical step into the area was quickly found out and hunted down. The monsters were relentless in their ancient duty. The Keeper thought it would be interesting to catch one to use for his cause. He just wasn't sure if they could be tortured into submission.

" _We should see if one can be obtained for My dungeon,_ " the Keeper droned out from a Possessed Warlock. " _Perhaps we can trap one?_ "

"It may be possible," Horny mused. Saithe was settled in his lap from where he sat in his throne. They were in a specialized conference room that was newly constructed. Shade was standing to the right of the throne. Orphek was standing on the left as a silent guard. As much as he hated being a guard dog, he had almost direct access to see Saithe. And quite a few were very jealous over this.

"I'm hungry!" Saithe scowled. Her belly had stretched considerably within that month. Horny judged she had another week or two left before she gave birth.

"You heard her," Horny smirked at Orphek. The Dark Angel muttered, but he grabbed the plate of hearts that was waiting nearby from an offered shadow. Moving to hold it out for her, Horny reached over to grab the largest one to give her. She only allowed him to feed her.

"They don't seem to detect shadows, but I must make sure that the lighting is dim enough for them," Shade said. "These monsters are lava based, so they generate their own glow. I can tolerate some light, but too much will even keep me away. I could see about small distractions with enough shadowed areas."

" _Hmm. That could work,_ " the Keeper mused.

"We could have a jail set up somewhere nearby," Saithe said, as she chewed. "Set up the bait in the jail. Lure the thing in and shut the gate. Once it's trapped, it's ours. Right? Or no?"

"You may be right," Shade said. "We need to test it."

"Orphek," Saithe said in a point-blank way. "Try and walk into the jail and see if you can get out. If you can't do either, then we'll know."

"What?" the Dark Angel asked. At her mild glare at him, he scowled and set the plate of hearts down. He knew that, if he complained, he could lose his position. He was quite literally her servant right now. Horny and Shade grinned wickedly.

"If you don't come back in five minutes, I'll have Father bring you back," she called out, as he left. Then she looked at her father and grinned. "Wait ten minutes."

Shade started laughing now. Horny was snickering like crazy. The Keeper was quite amused, but he was the one that brought Orphek back the moment the experiment failed. Orphek couldn't simply walk into the jail.

" _It would seem that we need one to move into My dungeon territory first. Then it would be susceptible to My whims,_ " the Keeper grumbled out. " _That means it would need to be defeated. Then I can do what I need._ "

"Good. I'll get to beat up something!" Orphek snorted. Saithe seemed to glance away with disdain. Shade was already working on luring one of the massive, fiery creatures onto their territory area. The only problem was that the creature was smart. It seemed to resemble on oversized, curly-horned stone golem with glowing lava lines in the form of muscle veins all over it. When it got mad, it hurled a fireball and left a trail of fire when it walked. It seemed to resemble Horny, but it was made of stone.

It made no vocal sounds when it moved, as it lacked a mouth. Even the joints it had were perfectly made to keep from grinding together, and lava seemed to fill all the cracks that would make the joints. Glowing red eyes glared out in an unblinking way when it moved back to its general location to guard the artifact. There were four of these things. The Keeper wanted all four.

"We may need to make a stone bridge to build over the lava barriers," Horny said. "Then our Imps will be able to start taking over what they can once they have proper access. If we have them go in at all possible areas, it will be much easier."

" _You may be correct,_ " the Keeper nodded. " _To attack from all sides..._ "

"I'm working on it," Shade said. The Trolls in the Workshop were now building the bridge parts that were needed. Now the Imps set the finished bridge parts into the lava easily. This irritated the guardians. The tactic also worked.

The moment one of them stepped foot on the bridge, it was considered in the Keeper's territory. His minions were swift to attack and bring the creature down. If all four were together, the attack would have failed. When they were separated, being overwhelmed was the main weakness. Once it was in the jail to be studied closely, Horny was able to bring Saithe with him to see what it was all about. The moment the lava creature saw Saithe, it seemed to pause.

There was something about her that it liked. It wasn't a sexual likeness, but it was more of a protecting need. It was losing something that it protected for ages. It now found something else to guard. When Horny went to pull Saithe away, the creature tried to follow in an almost obedient way. When it stopped at the bars, it scraped a stony hand over them to get their attention. At how it watched her, she realized something.  _I actually feel somewhat guarded._  Now she seemed to get the sensation that she was being protected.

"Wait," Saithe said when she saw the stern gaze. "I think...it wants to follow us."

"What?" Horny asked her.

"Look at it. It's looking at me," she said. "And the sensation I'm getting...hmm. I need to test something. Put me down."

"I don't know," he growled. She patted his shoulder, and he relented. Now he saw what she meant.  _The lava creature was trying to follow her around._  When Horny studied this, he realized one thing.  _It likely couldn't sleep._ At how it was around her, he noticed that it did want to guard her.  _She would have a far better way to be protected when I was away._ He was now highly amused at this.

"My mate," she said and pointed at Horny. "He is my equal."

The lava monster noticed her condition and seemed to nod. That surprised Horny.  _It understood her._  The Keeper was watching everything silently from his invisible state. This was completely unexpected. Instead of obeying him, it would be obeying her. Now he saw that, in order to get close to her, he would have to Possess Horny.  _There would be no other way now._

"Saithe," Shade said when he appeared. "What is going on?"

"I think I gained another servant," she grinned wickedly. "My Father. He is an ally. So is the large black dragon here. All are allies unless I say so. I can also let you use your best judgment, but my word comes first."

The creature nodded again, and the Keeper let it out. It moved right behind her to stand behind her. Wherever she went, it was ready to follow.

"I like this better than Orphek," Horny smirked.

"You have three others like you. Can you get them, too?" Saithe asked it. She noticed that it gave off a sensation of disdain. "Ah. We have to do what we did to you?"

It gave off another sensation of disdain. She frowned at this. Horny grumbled out, "It sucks that it can't talk."

"I...can..." the creature grounded out carefully by making odd noise movements from its body. "Just...hard..."

"That's fine. Only talk when needed. I get what you say by what you give off in sensations," she nodded. "However, I do want to know why you feel as you do about the others. Why do you think this?"

"Not...worthy..." it said.

"And, if they fight each other? Or you?" Horny asked. It seemed to glare at him.

"A better question. Are they your equals?" she asked.

"Yes..." it said. "Long...ago...we...fought. For...years. Then...stopped."

"Better to work together?" Shade asked. The creature nodded.

"Do you have a name?" Saithe asked. It shook its head. It never needed a name. "Would you object if I named you?"

"No..." it said.

"Let's wait and see if the other three join us. We can do something then," Horny said. When Orphek appeared, the creature moved to bar him off. It sensed a nasty vibe from the Dark Angel, even though it was told that all were allies. It was told to use its best judgment. This was what it decided to do.  _To keep the Dark Angel away from her._  Horny grinned widely and said, "Okay. I like this thing! We'll keep it around."

"He gained his right to be my champion and guard," Saithe muttered out to it. The creature didn't like that at all. When she coughed and clutched her belly at a savage kick, Horny was quick to lift her to settle over his shoulders. Now it looked over at her.

"She's pregnant with my offspring. Occasionally, it causes her discomfort. It can't be helped. And, no, I will not have it removed," Horny warned. The lava creature nodded at this, but didn't move its unblinking glare from Orphek. "And I take it you don't like him. I don't like him, either, but he did win a challenging fight with multiple others to remain with us as her servant."

"A...slave...?" it asked. Orphek fumed at that and snarled out.

"Not really," she sighed. "He seems to desire me. Since he can't have me, he decided to try and be close in another way."

The lava creature gave a complete sensation of intense dislike. Now it readied to fight. Shade snickered softly and backed away. Horny smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. Saithe blinked her black eyes slowly and sighed. The hard kick she endured did not sit well with her.

"I don't need to fight you!" Orphek snapped. The creature glowered and stomped down to filter lava out and dissolve the floor in front of it. It knocked out a complete hallway floor section to keep from being followed. The Dark Angel glared with shock.

"Not...worthy..." it grounded out and turned to follow Saithe. At the sound of fluttering wings, it turned quickly and pulled up its arm to block a sword attack. On being solid stone, the blade didn't even sink into anything. However, a lava vein in its arm pulsed and seemed to slightly dull the edge of the blade with a slight hint of melting.

"I have wings!" he growled and moved to punch it. Within a split second, the stony face of the creature was enveloped in hot magma. Orphek was now nursing a badly burned fist. Horny was howling with laughter.

"Burn...!" the creature grounded out and let the flooring under Orphek start to heat up and melt away. The Dark Angel shouted and fell backwards into the lava when he lost his footing. The Keeper, however, had swiftly plucked his minion out of harm's way and set him in his Lair to rest and recover. The Keeper was now going to see what he could do to boost his prime minion's defenses to regain his spot at Saithe's side.

"Not worthy. Indeed..." Saithe said and yawned. The creature nodded and turned to follow her. Then it paused with a form of rage.  _The other three were caught and jailed._  And they all noticed Saithe. They all came to the same conclusion to guard her, and only one wanted to be the primary to guard her. The moment the three other lava creatures were released from the jail, they clashed with each other to prove which the better was. It was an old instinct they had. "Horny. Put me down again."

"No," he growled and strode forward with her. "Say what you need to on me."

"Stop fighting. Now," she commanded. The four creatures stopped and looked at her. "Yes, I get it. You all want to protect me now. It's fine. I'll have four protectors. I don't care. All of you are worthy to me. However, I will give you four names. There must be something distinctive about you all that sets you apart."

The four creatures glanced at each other. The first one that was caught now came up to her side and revealed a small chip in its right horn at the first curl. Then she noticed that the horns were different on them all. They all had two horns, but there were at least two spiraled curls going out and back from their foreheads. They were displayed differently to show their originality in creation.

"So, you have a chip. You have your horns curling inwards. Yours are outwards. And yours are the longest," Horny mused at them.

"Very well. You are now called Izaak," she said to the first one. "You, with the longest horns. You are now Drizik. The one with the inward horns will be Erizus. And, the one with outward horns will be Uzok."

The four actually felt a tolerance of each other now. They settled into an easy pace to follow her. Then Horny smirked and said, "If any try to be at her side, feel free to challenge them. I am the only one allowed to mate with her and touch her."

They nodded as one. As much as the Keeper got his powerful artifact, and it boosted his magical range tremendously, he was very irked by this, too. He watched the small group head back to Horny's chamber. The four creatures now moved to have their backs at the bed and watch the walls. They didn't care what she did with Horny. If any tried to gain access to the room, they would know.

"What do you think?" she purred and nuzzled into his chest when his throne appeared. "I definitely approve!"

"I'd rather have them stand outside the door," he grunted. "But, this works."

"If Orphek reclaims his place, he can do that," she shrugged. "He lost it in that last fight. Not much to say about it."

"True. Well, since the Keeper quite obviously has his new artifact, we will need to see what happens next. And you may be due to give birth soon. Maybe in the next week," he judged and placed a hot hand over the top of her belly.

"You would think so," she murmured and yawned greatly. "I'm getting hungry again. But, I'm also sleepy."

"Just relax," he muttered and hugged her to him. "Rest with me."

"Not in my bed?" she asked.

"No. Right here. In my arms," he said and pulled her as tight as he could against his chest. At this, she yawned again and closed her eyes. When he succumbed to sleep, the four creatures glanced at each other over their shoulders. They were now prepared to guard in a relentless way. When a door opened to reveal Orphek, he paused at the sight of the four in the room. Then he was forced to scramble out from the wash of heat that raced at him from an attack by one of them. Drizik had a long-range heat attack that was only used in warning. It always worked well.

When Orphek scowled at this, he saw a Possessed Wizard come up to him to talk. " _It seems we have a challenge. Do we not?_ "

"Challenge?! I can't get close to her to do my job!" Orphek snarled.

" _You need to earn your position once more. I shall do some research to assist in this. You need something to block the fire. Give me some time to assist,_ " the Keeper said. Orphek muttered, but he nodded. " _You can even assist in some research. If you feel the need to do so?_ "

"Fine. To make it go faster, I will," he said. He followed the released Warlock to the Library to help hit the books. He needed to look for ice armor of some kind.  _I needed something that would give me an advantage._  What none of them knew was that the four lava creatures had a very hidden communication system within them.

 _:We are free. And we have names. At last.:_  Drizik sighed.

 _:How long have we stood there?:_  Uzok asked.

 _:Too long. We fought for so long. Now we are accepted. At first, I did not know what would become of us. I was at a loss when I was caught. I did not know what my purpose would be. Then I saw the female. I knew what I could do. What I was good at. As much as we should fight, I shall obey her wishes.:_  Izaak said.

 _:I shall obey no other.:_  Erizus gave a mental grunt.  _:She accepted all of us. None ever had. Not even the one that made us to guard the artifact really chose any one of us. We were told to guard and see who guarded best. After our Creator passed, we stopped fighting. No further need to do that.:_

 _:Yes. We shall guard together as we have been. And I do NOT like that other!:_  Izaak snorted with disgust.  _:We must keep that one back.:_

 _:What is there to like? That one has flesh.:_ Drizik smirked.

 _:That one cannot guard. And that one sleeps.:_  Uzok snickered.

 _:A waste of time when one needs to guard.:_  Erizus growled. They all agreed at that. A perfect guard was one that never needed to sleep or eat. If Orphek tried to reclaim his spot, he would be tested relentlessly. Izaak looked over at Saithe sleeping deeply in Horny's arms and seemed to nod. The lava creature felt a direct kinship with her now. She saved it from a fate worse than death by letting it guard over her. She was able to pick up on what it wanted to do. She gave it a whole new purpose to exist. It would easily help Horny slaughter anything that tried to touch her without permission.


	37. Chapter 37

Two weeks passed before the dungeon was filled with shrieks and heavy swears. Saithe was now in labor. Shade refused to let her lay back in her bed. The floor was chosen, and Shadowsbane had it lined with soft furs to help. Horny was sitting behind her to support her. He was even letting her bite down on his wrist at each contraction.

"I'm here to help," the Mistress said. At the scalding glare that Saithe gave her, she completely froze up with a rare form of surprise. Saithe didn't want any others around her. As much as she knew that help would be appreciated, instinct overruled reason. She couldn't have any others than her mate so close to her.

"Get! Out!" she spat through clenched teeth. At how the four fiery guards moved to help with the decision, the Mistress had no choice. Saithe could only pant and whine at the next bout of pain she got. When Shade appeared, she snarled at him next.

"I can help deliver the child the same way you were delivered," he said.

"Do it," Horny said. She bared her teeth at her father, but Horny pressed his mangled wrist back into her mouth to quiet her. The four lava creatures simply watched Shade shift his form into a blanket of shadows to cover over his daughter. At her muffled scream of intense pain, her father reformed soon after with the newborn in his arms. She was a shivering, painful mess of sensations now. Horny simply opened her wrist to smear her blood onto his wrist to heal up. Then he licked her wrist closed and looked over at Shade, as his offspring got studied.

"You have a son," Shade chuckled and was able to clean him off neatly. Horny found himself grinning now. As Shade studied the small, squirming body in his arms, he found a set of burning yellow pupils amidst a sea of black glaring back at him. Two small bumps where horns would sprout were on his forehead. His skin seemed to be a pale red right now, but that could change. He also had a head of black hair, too, to show off his shadow side other than his eyes. He was clearly a mix of both demon and shadows. When he looked at his back, he saw small bumps there, too. He could only guess that wings would develop there, but he didn't see a spot for a tail. That was fine.

"Give him to me," Horny said. Shade nodded and handed over the newborn. When the Horned Reaper studied his son, the baby seemed to pause with understanding. Horny was recognized. "Good. You know me. I'll kill you if you turn on me."

At this, the baby seemed to wail with frustration. Saithe managed to find the strength to take her new son from him and nurse him. At the mild glare of amusement she gave Horny, he gave a small smirk back at her. She knew he meant it.

"What should we name him?" she asked.

"Good question. Let's give it a day to decide. We'll see what his attitude is like. That will give us a good decision," he snorted.

"Ow! You have teeth?!" she snarled at her son. He glared at his offspring now. The teeth may not be showing now, but the tips were clearly evident. They appeared to be lightly sharpened to reflect Horny's own toothy mouth.

"You bite her again, and you'll regret it!" he growled dangerously. "And I know you can understand me."

The baby seemed to whimper and nursed in a softer manner. After he fell asleep, Horny took his scythe and cut the rest of the umbilical cord off. It was soon incinerated, and he rose up with her and his son in his arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked in a weak way.

"Showing you off," he grinned. Shade chuckled, and the four fiery lava creatures readied to follow her. When Orphek approached them on sight of them leaving the room, he growled and turned to look at Izaak. "Hold her."

"Yes..." it nodded. Since it was the first one that was allowed to guard her, it was always the first one asked to take care of her in Horny's stead. It was not a true favorite, but Horny simply trusted that one the most. Saithe felt no different in the creatures' arms, either. It had the same fiery sensation that Horny gave her.

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm a new father. I deserve the right to kick the asses of any that try to get close to you right now!" he snarled. She smiled lovingly at him and got a kiss in response. "You did enough work. I'm going to take care of the rest."

"Okay," she nodded. She was far too exhausted to really care, but she understood what he wanted to do. Izaak simply cradled her protectively and let the other three move in front of it.

"None...will...touch...you..." it nodded. She smiled and nodded back to it. Its unblinking, smoldering red glare seemed to scorch through the surrounding area in a protective watch. Uzok glared its unblinking gaze at Orphek with disgust. Every time he challenged the fiery guards, he failed. Miserably. The guards were made to be nearly immune to all forms of magic. Whoever made them knew what they were doing.

" _Wait,_ " a Possessed Warlock said on approach. Horny narrowed his glowing yellow eyes. " _I seek a small council. A new place of exploration has come about. Also, My Shadow Dragon is asking for you._ "

"Shadowsbane?" Saithe frowned.

"His eggs," Shade said from afar. She blinked with a small bit of surprise at this.

"Fine. We'll see him. And you stay back until you have earned your place!" Horny warned Orphek. Saithe just shook her head.

"Orphek, if you really want to help, you can spread the word that I gave birth to Horny's son. And that, if any want to see him, they have to go through Horny first," she said. "I do find it amazing that he can nurse through these piercings..."

"Just shows he has a big mouth," Horny smirked. She laughed at him. He knew she was still fairly weakened.

"I honestly don't know how to really raise him," she frowned.

"It's fine. We'll figure it out," Horny shrugged. "I'm not much of a parental figure, either. Maybe Shade could even help us."

"It's possible," Shade agreed. He was the child's grandfather now. As an elder figure, he would help train the child. When they reached Shadowsbane, the large dragon was carefully freeing the small, black hatchlings from their shells. There were four of them in total, and all of them appeared to be very healthy.

" _They need to be fed,_ " Shadowsbane grunted. The shadows soon delivered a platter of soft, finely chopped meat parts for the hatchlings to tackle. Several undead workers would now be assigned to monitor and care for the hatchlings. Shadowsbane had his babysitting needs covered. The same would soon be done for Saithe.

"Stop it!" Saithe snarled at the sudden hair tug she got.

"Dax! Stop it!" Horny snapped. The infant whimpered and let go of her hair.

"Dax?" Saithe smiled.

"I guess I named him," Horny shrugged and grinned. "It doesn't mean anything. But it works. See?"

"Apparently so," she muttered. She knew her son was going to be a complete handful on being Horny's first born. He was already proving that he had his father's temperament.  _At least he listened to his father._  She doubted her son would listen to her. Horny would be establishing the rule to obey her constantly. This was proven again when Dax pressed his luck with a small hit to her cheek.

"Give him to me," Horny growled. At the small whimper his son gave, he was readily handed over. Glaring right into his son's eyes, he said, "If you strike your mother, disrespect her, or try to cause her harm, I shall return what you did by a tenfold! I can make another one of you! I killed several of you already. I have no problems doing it again. Don't test her. Don't test me."

"And you can't hide it," Saithe smirked. "I have guards around me all the time. They will report what you do to him."

Dax seemed to sigh and frown. When he looked over at his mother, he noticed the hint of challenge she gave him. Then he realized something.  _If my Father had to remove others from her, she likely let him do it. I have to respect her._  Coming to this conclusion, he reached his small arms for her. Looking at him mildly, she took him back. Now he cuddled into her with a form of comfort.

"Hmm," Horny thought aloud. "Good. Don't piss me off. You'll live longer."

Dax had already slipped into a pleasant sleep. Shadowsbane was able to see him now, and he chuckled. He could already tell that the child would be a handful.  _And very intelligent._  At the sight of other minions appearing to see Horny's son, the dragon reared up in threatening way. That forced them all to back down. Then the fiery guardians set up a barrier.

"A few at a time. That's all," Saithe said. Shadowsbane curled up into a ball of scales and had her recline on him. The hatchlings were sleeping in their own little balls of soft scales. Horny snorted and let only groups of three in at a time. When the Mistress appeared with her toy, she gave a small nod.

"He looks good," the Mistress chuckled.

"Thanks," Saithe said. "You should have one next."

"Ah...no," the Mistress grimaced. The lava guards were able to lower the glow of their molten aspects down to almost nothing to help dim the light they shed. On seeing this, Saithe paused with wonder. Then she grinned wickedly at an idea. At the look of mirth on her face, Horny looked at his mate curiously.

"I take back the idea of being bullied by the Dark Angels, if we go after another place," she said. "I want to pose as a powerful sorceress. Of the dark kind, of course. The guardians with us can appear to be like stone figures. I can let them 'magically' come to life and control them."

"Okay. I like this," Horny grinned wickedly and moved to recline against the dragon's scales with her. She pressed into him with a show of comfort.

"And, if I get overwhelmed, I can summon you to help," she snickered. "This way, you can still protect me from the shadows and appear when needed. You won't have to stick to my side all the time. I'll have the guards with me."

"I really, really like that," he chuckled. Even the stone guardians gave off approving sensations. "How would they be delivered?"

"Many tend to use crates and wagons. A few undead servants will work," she shrugged. "A powerful figure needs servants."

"Very true," Horny mused.

"Our son can stay here in the safety of Shadowsbane's lair," she chuckled and got kissed by him. "He can be brought to me when it's safe to do so. He should be able to use blood as a form of nourishment. You think?"

"Maybe. I say when he stops nursing. That will be the safe time to go out and hunt down new places," he nodded.

"Maybe make another son for you?" she smiled.

"I wouldn't mind a female. Maybe..." he said with a small grin. "If it's all sons, then I won't mind, either."

"As long as they listen to you?" she chuckled. At his nod, she grinned a bit.

"I do like your idea. Shade! Listen to this," Horny said when her father appeared. With this plan laid out, the Shadow Demon was grinning wickedly.

"I'll see what undead servants will want in on this. I'm sure they all will. We can have disguises made easily. We'll definitely work on it," her father said.

"Get started on it now. The moment Dax is weaned from her, we will search for a new place to conquer. We need another crown on the wall," Horny smirked.

"I'll see what's around us in a fifty mile radius," Shade nodded and vanished. The Keeper was quite amused now. He also wanted to know what could be found. He was also very intrigued on the idea of Saithe playing out as a magical performer for evil purposes.  _In a sense, she truly was._

What was found out later in the day was even more pleasing to the Keeper. The next place was in the same area he wanted to infiltrate. He was already sending his Imps out to scout over the grounds carefully. He wanted a new place to set his Heart. On finding a prime location, he soon had an excavation started. He wanted the place ready to go. The sooner it was done, the faster the land would be taken over when established.

Another surprise was soon apparent. The next area was a bit more underground than above ground. The town was nice up above, but that was all it was. There was no castle to be had, or any form of royalty figures. It was more of a bit of a neutral zone for waylaying transport and travelers.

If anything, it was a legitimately run, bustling merchant town. But, underground was where all the dirty businesses happened. Sinful ways ran rampart there, and the Keeper was highly amused. Even Shade was when he discovered the same thing. There were also treasures and artifacts that passed through unseen hands constantly. Plans were now made to acquire everything, and a new treasure room would be made for them.

"I'm still tired," Saithe sighed and yawned.

"You just gave birth. It's expected. Don't worry. I'm not budging," Horny muttered. When Shade appeared with a massive grin on his face, Horny was now curious on what was discovered.

"The next area is a place teeming with underground trade. Of the most inappropriate kind," Shade said. "There are quite a few magical artifacts floating around there, too. We need all of them. Some may even enhance Saithe's armor."

"In that case, we'll do a raid," Horny smirked.

"I could pose as wanting to purchase new supplies," Saithe beamed. "I'll have the four guardians and you with me. I could even call on Father."

"Okay. You know I want in," Shade grinned wickedly.

" _Call on me, if you must,_ " Shadowsbane snickered. That got them all laughing. It would definitely be done. Of course, nothing would be done right away. Dax still had to grow a bit more and become weaned of her. That could take a month or two from how fast demon children grow. There was plenty of time to prepare and ready for the silent infiltration. Then Saithe had an idea.

"Why don't we have some undead filter into the area? It's a merchant town above this place anyways, right? Let them start purchasing and gaining all the artifacts first. Then, when we just have a few left to collect, we go in and take what's left over. Can't kill something that's already dead, right?" she grinned. "If any give us a sign of resistance, then they can be killed and brought to me for resurrection. Or they can be set in the jail here to become new minions."

"I love how you think!" Horny laughed and squeezed her. Shade was already grinning from ear to ear, as the shadows sent the messages out. The Keeper was quite amused with this.  _It would definitely push things along nicely._

"How long until he's weaned?" Shade asked in reference to Dax.

"A month or two. The more he feeds, the more he grows. He may be running around in full within five months. If he's still alive by then," Horny shrugged. "If he pisses me off, he knows I'll kill him."

Saithe just sighed and closed her eyes. She was too tired to care right now. When Orphek tried to appear to get close, the stone guards came to life to block him.

"Oh, come on!" the Dark Angel growled.

"Not...worthy..." Izaak grounded out. Orphek snarled at this, but he paused when Shade moved up to him.

"What can you do for her now that these four cannot do?" he asked.

"I can fly," Orphek said sternly.

"What good would that do for her?" Horny asked from where he relaxed on Shadowsbane. The dragon even gave a wary glare now. "Shadowsbane can fly, too."

"I'll find an item for her that will enhance her strength!" Orphek growled and flew off quickly. Shade simply chuckled and shook his head.

"He tries way too hard," Saithe snickered and yawned again. "He could offer to be a babysitter, but I think I would decline that. Honestly not sure what good he could do now. If he does find something, then maybe he should do that. Find things that will benefit me. I don't need anything else from him."

"I hope he finds nothing," Horny growled and squeezed her possessively. "I refuse to let him think that you owe him anything."

"Darling, this is all him now. I'm not telling him to do anything," she chuckled. He still snorted his disapproval at this. "You can inspect everything he brings. Then you can give me the items he finds. I doubt he'll realize what would happen with that."

"I would be giving you the items...instead of..." Horny mused. Now he started laughing at this. Shade was clearly amused at the whole thing. The Keeper would have caught this, but he was focusing on Orphek. He wanted something incredibly powerful, and beneficial, for Saithe to be found.

He knew there was a very eccentric ring that was enchanted to enhance the defense of anyone that wore it. It would counter spells and attacks with a small shield. The only problem was convincing the one that held the artifact to hand it over. When Orphek was informed that he was going to be Possessed with a small nudge to his mind, the Dark Angel snorted and accepted it. Now the plan was laid out.

"I need a disguise," he muttered.

" _Readily done. Go and speak with an undead minion that works with clothing,_ " the Keeper said from his mouth. He nodded and made his way over to the seamstress. A cloak was soon provided that was large enough to hide his wings and features. With this done, it was time to pay a visit to the underground human trade routes to wait for the desired human to appear to give over the prize.


	38. Chapter 38

The sneaky man was expecting nothing out of the ordinary when he walked out of the brothel. He was a regular customer and got the best pick of the girls there. He was casually ignoring the large figure in the massive cloak until he heard the jingle of coins in a pouch. Interest was quickly caught.

"I seek information. You will get paid for it," the figure said in a deep, male tone.

"Is that so?" the man asked slyly. He was going to see how much coin he could get. The large figure looked at him and seemed to smirk.

"Yes. You tell me the truth. I give you more gold. I can detect lies."

"Really?"

"Yes," the figure said. Then a flicker of unholy light came from the eyes within the cloak. The man paled.  _I was dealing with true evil..._

"Okay..." the man seemed hesitant. But, he wanted the gold. At the sight of the brimming pouch in the large, semi-clawed hand, he seemed to salivate.

"I am looking for an artifact that can shield against spells," the figure said calmly.

"Oh. Everyone wants that. It's worn by one of the most powerful people here. It isn't for any form of sale."

"I see. Are there any other artifacts that you know of that can provide one with exceptional power boosts of any kind?"

"I know of a talisman that can grant temporary immunity to elemental damage, but that's another being worn by a power figurehead."

"Very interesting to know," the figure mused.

"Oh! There is one other that can give one the ability to stay up for six days straight, but the one using the artifact must sleep for a whole day or suffer intense nightmares as a backlash. And this can happen while standing around awake, too. I don't know what it looks like, but it does exist," the man added. At this information, the entire bag of coins was tossed over. When the man stood up after picking up what fell from the bag, the figure was gone.

As the now rich human walked back into the brothel to spend his new fortune, the figure moved swiftly through the shadows where Shade was waiting.

"I heard it all," the Shadow Demon chuckled. Orphek pushed back the hood and smirked. "I have shadows tracking down the three artifacts now."

"I would like to keep the ones for elemental immunity and sleep nullification," Orphek said. "I'm sure you know why."

"Ah. Yes, I do. If I know the magical components of the artifacts, I may be able to make duplicates," Shade said. Now Orphek found himself chuckling.

"So, now we just wait for any information to appear?"

"That is the plan. We have zombies posing as degraded tradesmen right now. Some of the few that were of a noble ranking before they perished are working their way in the court systems up above. They know how to act and behave as though they are simply finding a new place in an upscale society. With how fast Dax is growing, Saithe may be able to start infiltrating around here as a dark mercenary sorceress for hire. The zombie nobles can 'hire' her services to give her a foothold above ground."

"That is actually a brilliant plan," Orphek said.

"Yes. She suggested it," Shade grinned. That impressed the Dark Angel. As they retreated back to the Keeper's domain, the shadows were already making an intricate map of the tunnels and structures they encountered. On the dirt floor of a meeting chamber, the map was carefully drawn out bit by bit. Shade studied it intensely. Any spot that was seen as a dead end was marked as a true dead end or a warding that the shadows couldn't break. Any wardings would be broken into first.

"Any news?" Horny asked. Saithe was in his arms and handling their son. She was also studying him intensely.  _He had grown quite a bit within the day alone. At the growth spurts he was getting, he may be toddling around after a month and safe to leave behind in short intervals._

"Yes," Shade nodded. He told him what was discovered, and Horny cracked a grin. The four stone guardians that followed showed no emotions at the mention of the talismans. They saw any form of artifacts used as a form of cheating.

Saithe yawned and got squeezed by Horny. As much as the cloth diaper Dax wore was something she didn't really like, she was grateful for it from the sound that came from the baby next. Then the smell hit.

"Take him and change him!" Saithe grimaced and gave her son over to a waiting zombie. Horny still kept a very close eye on his son. The undead nanny was always waiting close by to assist when needed. When she was given her son back, Horny relaxed a bit. Then he saw an area that Shade pointed to.

"Right there. Intense warding. My shadows cannot get past it. Shall we investigate?" Shade asked with a small smile.

"What do they say?" Horny asked.

"It's an antimagic field, in a sense. And, behind that, is a barrier to keep magic users out. Behind that barrier is another section that keeps my shadows from looking in," Shade sighed. "And, if the barriers are breached, they shift around. Except for that antimagic one. It makes me wonder."

"It sounds like one of these elite few that hold our artifacts resides there," Saithe said. "Think about it."

"True," Shade nodded. "Hmm. Ah. There is a supply wagon that runs through once a month on a timed schedule to hit each major place we need. If we can control the wagon in question..."

"We can infiltrate easily," Horny grinned.

"Yes. However, the driver of this wagon is well-known. We can try to take him down and convert him," Shade thought aloud. "Maybe even bribe him with gold."

"Bribery could work," Saithe said. "Do we know where he is now?"

"Hmm. Getting his wagon loaded up. We can send some zombies out there now," Shade said. Horny nodded for it happen. He knew that Saithe's mercenary outfit was getting a slight modification done to include a cape and other accessories that magic wielders usually have. She didn't need any of it, but it was part of the disguise. Shade was also preparing pouches of blinding powders that she could hang off her hips. Poisons would also be used, if needed. As Shade told her of the various pouches he was going to prepare, she gave a small smile.

"I have another idea," she grinned. "Put a raw heart in a pouch for me. This way I can eat it in front of any watching me and having odd thoughts."

Horny barked out laughing. Shade was now going to have that done. At the sound of howling at the main Portal, Horny rose a brow with amusement. A three-headed Hell Hound made its way to them. At this, he grinned wickedly and whistled.

"Hmm?" Saithe blinked.

"A new idea came to mind," Horny snickered. The large, triple-headed black wolf with glowing red eyes trotted over and sat down obediently. "A magic user of any kind needs a form of pet. This new minion will do that for you. As much as I would say to go with Shadowsbane, he can be used for larger areas. For smaller areas, this one will do rather nicely."

"Oh?" she smiled. "And what of Shadowsbane?"

"He is your last ditch call in the smaller areas. Think of it like that. As I said, let him come to you when you have a wide area to fully support him. The Hell Hound is also a bit of a scout. It can blend in well with your shadows, and it will stick close to your side. With three mouths, it can leave far more bites than just a hound with one," Horny nodded. "It can also be immune to fire."

"Maybe it can eat whatever humans I leave behind after taking the hearts out," she chuckled. The Hell Hound seemed to look like it was laughing.

"It also pisses on the bodies to help them decompose. Rather useful for our Graveyard. We haven't had any Vampires yet, though. If we do get one, we'll need to keep our residential Priest happy. They may fight," Horny smirked.

"You would think so!" Saithe laughed softly. "Anyways, what's the plan now?"

"Well," he said and pulled her into his arms to hold her. "it's letting our son grow a touch more. The moment he's weaned from you, we will work on your first appearance. Your mercenary outfit is being redone. We'll set up a mild leash and collar for the Hell Hound. Maybe a small treat bag will be given, too."

"Sounds good," she murmured and traced a finger down his chest. He paused, as his lust quickly rose. Now he looked at her with a gleam in his eye that she knew quite well. "Tell me. How long has it been...since we last...?"

"We'll leave Dax with Shadowsbane for a bit," he muttered and kissed her feverishly. "Maybe an hour."

"Maybe two?" she asked and nipped his neck. He tensed and was quick to do just that. Shade chuckled and continued to go over all of the new map etchings that appeared on the dirt floor. An undead servant was sketching out everything carefully on a roll of parchment paper. Shade was also keeping close track of his shadows that were scouting out the whereabouts of the wagon owner.

The rather fat man was easy to track down. From how much he was paid, he clearly liked living the lifestyle of intense eating habits. The stains on the man's shirt were always disregarded, as new stains were added from the greasy meat he chewed on. He was complacent, too. Nothing ever happened to him. As if it should! He had quite a few mercenary thugs around the wagon at all times.

Shade was soon watching from the shadows. He was a touch perplexed. His shadows told him that bribery wasn't going to work with this one.  _But, the mercenaries may be coaxed out with a bit more gold._  Deciding to test this, he took a coin and let it roll out from the shadows to hit one of them on the foot.

"Oy! What we got 'ere?!" a hardened man said and looked down. At the gap-toothed grin he gave, a punch was given to his face from another man next to him.

"I'll take that!" a rueful grin was given. More squabbling was done from the other four men that were there. Shade grinned wickedly and let a shadow place another coin just in eye-shot of where he hid. Then he became his small, cloaked disguise. When they ran over to claim the coin, they noticed the small figure.

"Hello," he said in a way that showed he demanded respect. At the sheer amount of evil he gave off, the six humans paused with shock. "I can give you more. For your services, of course. I know that nothing is for free."

"We're already hired," one of them said. At the sight of six massive pouches of gold, he said, "We can do another job!"

Agreeable tones were given all around. At this Shade said, "Good! And I'll give all of you one of these of equal amount, but first I have some questions. And, no, you will not need to leave the job you all already have. Mine is a touch...intertwined with what you do. As for the questions...here they are. The places the fat one goes. The large houses that he delivers the goods to. Do any of you get to walk in?"

"No. Everything is done at a distance from the main route. Like...um...in the entrance," another said. Shade mused at this.

"How fast would it take for any of you to break in past the entrance?" Shade asked. "I have...friends...that want certain things."

"Traps. Lots of 'em," the first thug said. "Take one step in, and they go off!"

"Hmm. Is it like that for all of them?" he asked now.

"Nah. We've been by so many times that nothing really happens," another grinned. "I even snuck in to see what was going on."

"You did not!" a man gaped.

"Yep! Each deal takes about an hour. Where do you think I got this?" the man boasted and showed off a solid gold pendant in the shape of a bird in flight. A diamond chip even graced each of the eyes. The men were both livid and jealous. "I don't sell it. If I did, it might get noticed. So, it's a trophy!"

"I can get in farther than you and steal something better!" one of them sneered.

"Whoever can get into the main chamber that holds secret artifacts will get double what I give now. And this is for every place that is visited," Shade said. That had them hooked. The pouches were given over, and all were jealously stowed away. "I will be keeping watch on all of you. I will know who succeeds. And I will know who fails. You don't need to steal anything. Call it...a scouting routine. This way, you can't be held at fault, if you are caught. Of course, there will be a bonus offered to those that aren't caught. The better you do, the more gold you get. Keep this little deal between us. The fat one will look for you six in a moment. Go now."

The men were all for bragging at how well they did. They loved this challenge. There was also a shadow bound to each bag. The moment the room they wanted was found, the shadow would report and latch to the room in question. The men may be able to get past the wards safely. If one snuck in, then it was only proven. The humans would give Shade and Horny the means to get what they want.

With this little bit of a possible advantage neatly being set in place, they would all wait calmly for the men to try their luck. Two months would easily be enough. Any of them that found the chamber of any main magical artifact would be well rewarded.  _It would keep them looking._  That's what Shade wanted to happen.

When Shade was able to visit Horny to tell him what was going on, Orphek decided to chance on going to another section of the underground city. He felt the Keeper watching him curiously, but the attention was diverted when a bedraggled child pulled at Orphek's cloak. He glanced down with a small sneer.

"Please...spare a coin...?" the child asked weakly. It was hard to tell if it was a boy or girl. Orphek was going to kick the child away, but then he paused.  _Sometimes the smaller humans could get into far more difficult places._

"I will give you one, if you can bring me something of value. Think you can?" he asked in a rather mild tone. At the furious nodding the child gave back, a gold coin was pressed into the palm of one of the small hands. A gasp of complete gratitude was given.

"Here!" the child said and pressed a small ring into Orphek's hand. "I stole it the other day. From a noble. I have friends that go up to the surface all the time."

"Very nice," Orphek mused and studied the ring.  _It was clearly the seal of an established line._  "You bring me more things like this, and I'll give you more gold as payment. Do we have a deal?"

"Oh, yes! Um, where do we meet?"

"Hmm. Near the edge of this place where the shadows are darkest. Agreed?"

"Yes!" the child giggled now and bolted off to show what was given. The Keeper was highly pleased with this.  _The ring could be used as another way to enter the upper city. Even Saithe could use it as a means for trade with the owner. That was if the ring was missed, of course._  As Orphek began to head back, he suddenly found himself blocking an attack from a would-be thief.

"Hand over the purse!" the human snarled. Then his eyes went wide when Orphek turned to let the unholy light shine forth from his own eyes.

"Sure. Then I'll take it back from your cold, dead corpse," Orphek snickered. He reached out quickly to grab the man by his throat and easily crushed in the windpipe. Then he dropped the corpse on the ground and walked away. Of course, the shadows were quick to remove any useful artifacts and excess money that were left behind. Every resource was needed to be used and repurposed for other things.

This was done four more times in rapid succession. When the fifth man was suspended by his throat, Orphek growled. "Who sent you?"

"None..." the man said quickly.  _It was a lie._  Now Orphek grinned wickedly and stormed back into the shadows with the dangling man. He brought him to the Torture Chamber where the Mistress was lounging around bored.

"Make this one talk," Orphek said and tossed the man on the ground.

"I was looking for something to do," the Mistress grinned wickedly. Daren already prepared a table, but she shook her head. "Prepare the one on the wall. With the slow-roasting feature. If you could?"

"Of course," Daren grinned. The circular device on the wall would slowly turn any strapped to it. It was attached to a furnace that would give an all-over cooking. If the man died, the minions would feast well on his flesh. There was another that had a basin of water that would help to force the tortured victim to hold their breath. The basin would only submerge the head when the wheel was turned.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" the man screamed, as he got hauled over.

"You will talk. As you get turned and roasted on all sides," the Mistress sneered.

"The kid hired me!" he shouted. Now Orphek paused at this.  _The same child that gave him the ring? It made no sense._  He went to talk to Shade.

"I heard," the Shadow Demon said. "The human tells the truth, but it is not the same child. We'll find out more."

"If you could. I would rather keep the child as a possible means to infiltrate the upper city. Think about it," Orphek said.

"You're right. We'll find out what he means about this other child," Shade nodded. "We'll get our answers."

The Dark Angel nodded and pulled the ring out to study it again. It looked like a swan's head with embellished corner etchings in a circular pattern. The rough design would easily imprint an envelope with wax. Then he thought of an idea. Then he grinned.  _I'll make a wax seal with the ring and place a small note in the envelope seal. The message would be simple. To any that recognized the seal to meet in a discreet location._ He went to work.


	39. Chapter 39

His plan worked flawlessly. It took a week, but one of the undead nobles that was able to work into the society to claim a spot was able to spread the news of the lost ring. That a child of sorts was bragging on it being stolen. At the ring description being talked about, one of the higher noblemen walked over. The undead nobleman was in the main square gossiping about it in a regal manner and twirling a finger around a curl of blond hair, as he did so. He even had one of the wax seals to show what sort of ring was found with its imprint. It showed he had no idea of the importance of the ring when he really did. Of course, it was only to cause a stir and bring the owner of the ring to light.

"You there! I say you! Yes! I had a ring of that exact description lost to me some time ago. You are saying it was found?" the man asked. He was wearing what all the nobles wore there. From the frilly ruffles at the ends of each shirt lining to the tight pants and vests he wore over his developing pot belly, it showed the clothes were a touch too tight on him now. Even the powdered, white wig that barely covered his balding brown-haired head was worn with a form of haste, as he showed off his status with pride in his walk. And he needed his ring back, as it was a symbol of his status. His curled mustache twitched with a form of impatience. At the sight of the wax stamp, he knew it was his ring.

"What is so important with these rings, anyways?" the undead noble sniffed and neatened out a mustache elegantly. The undead man was wearing almost the same outfit, but the ruffles weren't as extravagant, and his colors were paler in comparison from pastels compared to the bolder ones on the higher classed noble. He also lacked the wig to show he wasn't of a high station.

"That ring unlocks my entrance to the main council chambers! Without it, I cannot attend the monthly meetings!" the man pouted angrily. "I have to press my seal into a very specific lock."

"Oh? And how many rings are there?" the undead noble asked.

"Ten in all. If I'm not at this meeting by the end of the week, I'll be hunted down and questioned! My status will be sorely put in place," the man fretted. At the whispering of a shadow, the undead man seemed to pause.

"Well, I can tell you of the last place I saw this child," he started.

"Can you?!" the nobleman asked.

"Yes. But, you must go alone. If you have others with you, there may be nothing found," the undead nobleman warned. "I stumbled upon the place by merely exploring."

"That's fine!" the man said. The undead man hid a smirk at the uppity nobleman.  _He really wanted his ring back!_

"Go to this location in the dead of night," the undead nobleman said and handed over a small cloth map. "Good luck!"

"Thank you. If it goes well, I'll drop your family name! Oh, what is the name of your line?" he asked. This was unexpected. _It would definitely guarantee a form of spying within the main circle._

"It's Duponte," the undead man smiled. The name was noted, and they parted ways. The shadows now watched the nobleman carefully. They wanted to see what he was all about. For the rest of the day, the man was tracked. He was one of the few that helped assist with problems among the merchant traders for legitimate businesses. He handled disputes and false money reports. He did his job fairly well.

He did have his own hired guards, if the situation appeared bad enough, but he always seemed to walk alone most of the time. The guards were exceptionally stealthy and only appeared when cued for. After the basic rounds were done, he turned to speak with them in a disclosed location.

"I have a status on my ring. However, I need to do this alone. I should be fine," the nobleman said. At the looks of worry on the thugs, he chuckled. "Don't worry so much. Just help keep the peace here."

"Sure," one of the four stealthy men said. They still planned to follow. The nobleman treated them with far more respect than any other boss they worked with. At this report given, Orphek seemed to snicker with glee.  _If the men interfered, they would be slaughtered mercilessly._

Around the destined time, the nobleman donned a dark cloak and moved towards the location. When he got there, he paused at the sight of Orphek's cloaked form walking out of the shadows. He was expecting a child, but he doubted the undead man he spoke with would have known.  _Or did he?_  From what the nobleman knew, it was doubtful. At the vibe of solid evil being radiated at him, the man trembled and lost his train of thought.

"I have what you seek. However, I only work in trades. And not for wealth, either," Orphek snorted. "You want your signet back. I want information. Does this sound fair enough to you?"

"Ah...sure..." the man swallowed. As long as it wasn't physical harm, he'd go with it for sure. He didn't know how he would have reacted if his soul was involved.

"First of all, you were followed after you said were not to be followed."

"What?! Damn them!" the nobleman winced.

"Order them away now. Or they will get removed accordingly."

"If you four are here now, you have to go! I'll speak with you all later!"

"No!" the first man said from before and walked out. "We can't just leave you alone. We don't want to watch you walk off to whatever doom you have."

"We like working for you," the second man said. At this Orphek mused.

"Are you all good at keeping secrets?" the cloaked Dark Angel asked.

"If he orders us to," the fourth man grunted. The third man only nodded. It was hard to tell them apart from their clean shaven heads and odd piercings, but they were stubborn. They all seemed to have the same builds, save that they varied in muscle types. They simply wouldn't leave their employer unprotected.

"Repeat nothing from this meeting," the nobleman said.

"Good," Orphek snorted at the small nods the men gave. Now he shed off the cloak to show what he was. All five humans gaped with awe. They had never seen a Dark Angel before. It was also an intimidation factor from his over-sized muscles and sheer size. His black wings helped, too. "I want to know when your meetings happen. I also want to know what happens within them."

"Oh. Usually it's just current events in the city. Nothing major at all."

"Hmm. Anything about any dealings with the underground?"

"Not really, no. We don't keep track of that until they try to come up to the surface. We ignore what happens, because they ignore our rulings here. So, it's a bit of a neutral balance. If we do get something of value from there, we would report it so that the item is registered properly."

"And where are these reports?"

"That is something even I don't know. We would speak out in the chamber, a scribe would write down everything, and then we leave. The scribes leave after we do."

"Interesting. When is your next meeting?" Orphek asked.

"In a few days. It's why I really need my ring. Without it, I have no access to the meetings. Then I'll be called out and labeled as untrusting. I'll lose everything I have," the man frowned. At this news, the ring was tossed over to him. It was cold as ice from the Dark Angel's touch, but the man was too grateful to have it back to think about it.

"Thank you for the information. That's all," he said and stepped back into the shadows. He usually wouldn't thank anyone, but this was information that he needed. The cloak vanished shortly after. The nobleman was escorted out and back to familiar surroundings, but even he felt that he was watched intensely.  _I just dealt with true evil._  He seemed to shudder at the thought of it.

"What should we do?" the first mercenary asked.

"Say nothing. If anyone finds out of who we spoke with..." the nobleman frowned. The four men nodded as one to show they would say nothing more. But, they would be far more vigilant.

"What do you think?" Orphek asked Shade, as they watched from the shadows.

"The ring has been touched with shadows. The moment the human walks into the meeting, the shadow will latch onto this scribe. We'll get what we want," he nodded. Orphek nodded back and crossed his arms over his chest. At the sight of the small child that gave him the ring scoping out the merchant tables, he nudged Shade. "Hmm?"

"That's the child that stole the ring for us," the Dark Angel smirked.

"Really?" Shade grinned. At a shadow's whisper, one of the undead servants posing as a merchant set up some very enticing wares. When the child got close to it, the trap was sprung. Before the poor child had a chance to shout, the shadows pulled the young human along quickly to where Shade and Orphek were waiting.

"Good to see you again," Orphek snorted. Now the trembling child gaped in recognition of the voice. Then began to panic at who owned it. "The ring was returned. I have more information. But, now I have a problem. After I gave you a gold coin, I was attacked by others."

"I know who did it," the child trembled and sniffled with a bit of fear. "Jordah was always jealous of me. He'd steal my stuff 'cuz I'm a girl."

"You're female?" Shade mused.

"Yeah," she trembled. "It's...why I pose as a boy..."

"To keep others away. Humph," Orphek snorted. "And how old are you?"

"Just...um...eleven years..." the girl cringed.

"And you do what you must to survive?" Shade mused. She fainted from the sheer amount of evil they gave off. Orphek nudged her with a foot and smirked. "You know what? I wonder if I can train her like I did with Saithe. To work for our cause."

"What do you have in mind?" Orphek asked.

"It would be nice for Saithe to have a sister," Shade grinned. Orphek barked out laughing, as Shade gathered up the girl in his arms. A moment later, Horny was glaring with complete dismay at Shade.

"What do you want?" Horny growled. Saithe was nestled in his arms contentedly. Shadowsbane was looking after Dax to get the child used to him.

"This is the child that gave Orphek the ring. She fainted on seeing us. I was thinking I could train her to be our personal spy in various areas," Shade grinned wickedly. "Saithe could see her as a little sister of sorts."

"No," Saithe snorted with disgust. "I will not have a human as family!"

"How about as a personal servant?" Shade asked.

"No," she shook her head. "We have shadows for that. And I have a multitude of undead servants. Just kill it."

"I think this child holds potential. She stole from a noble. She survived on her own for this long. I think she deserves a chance," Shade said.

"We don't care on what you think. If you want to train her, then fine. Train the bit of cattle. We won't have any of it," Horny said. "If she tries to stab you in the back, then don't say we didn't warn you."

Shade only grinned and decided to take her into the realm of shadows.  _Sorsha would likely agree to training her as a princess of sorts. She could help look after a kingdom if another was claimed._  That was how he saw it. Of course, if she turned on him, he would dispose of her. He refused to work with unruly pawns.

The rest of the night seemed to go smoothly enough. There were hardly any wardings in the city above ground. But, what the city lacked in wardings, it made up for in beefed up security. The wealthy could afford the best mercenaries and means to keep thefts from happening. And, if a thief was caught, it was a spectacle for the whole city.

In the Keeper's domain, Horny was holding Saithe and his son in his throne. Dax was starting to sample what minced up chicken hearts were like. He had grown enough to start on solids. All demons grew quickly. When it looked like he was ready to throw his food at Horny, a harsh growl was given.

"If you throw it, you don't eat," Horny warned. Dax seemed to pout. Saithe just smirked and yawned. Their son was slowly learning his place, but he always tried to test his limits. He finally seemed to give up and press into Saithe's chest for comfort. She pet his black hair lightly and studied the horns that were starting to appear. The sacks on his back were developing rapidly, too.

"A month," Horny muttered. "He'll be weaned completely."

"Very fast growth," she muttered back. He only nodded at this. "At least I'll be free to roam the areas above."

"Until you're pregnant again," he grinned wickedly. She rose a brow at him to get him laughing at her.

"And how many more offspring do you plan to let me have?" she asked.

"How many more can you handle?" he grunted and ran a clawed finger down her neck. At how she shivered in response, he knew it was from lust. He growled at his son for being in the way, but the nanny was there to take him up. "Ten minutes."

"Of course," she nodded and walked off with the snarling, squirming offspring.

"Make it twenty?" Saithe grinned. Horny grinned right back at her and positioned her quickly to take her. Nearly twenty minutes later, she was panting against his chest and holding her son again. At how Horny's finger trailed over her arm, she winced with want. He still wanted her.

"Should make a playroom for him," Horny growled and licked up her neck.

"Horny..." she whispered and gave in to the kiss he gave her next.

"I'll take him," Shade said when he appeared. Horny only grunted when Dax squealed with protest at being removed from Saithe's side.  _He was going to have to get used to it. Now was as good as any._ The moment the child was gone, Horny pulled her back onto him to claim her.

"You're...going to get me...pregnant...again..." she panted.

"Good," he growled and worked with her. Right after this mating session happened, he only crushed her to him. "Too damned long..."

"Are you really going to let me walk around alone? With servants and such?" she frowned and snuggled into him. "I think you should walk with me."

"With an illusion on me, it may work. I really detest having you go anywhere alone now. It did work beautifully with that place with the twin princes," he mused.

"If anyone tries to challenge you, you can kill them off," she grinned. He grinned right back at her with a form of delight. "If any challenge me, it would give me the perfect opportunity to call you to my side. Despite having the Hell Hound and the lava guards. I would rather have you."

"The feeling is quite mutual," he nodded slightly. She smiled softly at him and got kissed passionately. "I do have this lingering feeling of suspense, though."

"Do you?"

"Yes. With the Keeper," he growled. "I know he is plotting something."

"He's always plotting something," she mumbled against his neck.

"Bite me there," he grunted. She nodded and did just that. At the thoughts he gave her, she was fuming. She didn't want to even think of Horny getting possibly Possessed to get her pregnant with the Keeper's child!

"We can't let that happen!" she spat after licking his wound closed.

"Trust me. I know," he nodded. "Just say nothing. You know how I am around you. You know my moods."

"And you know mine," she said softly. He ran a hand over her cheek, as she gazed at him, and let himself fall into the black depths of her eyes. At the feel of her hands on his horns, he grunted and kissed her fiercely.

"I love you," he said against her mouth.

"I love you, too," she whispered against his mouth. "I don't want to be separated from you anymore. I can't...I don't want it..."

"It won't happen. I'll disguise myself," he nodded. "I can't trust you being alone in unknown areas. Even with allied forces around us."

"I'm relieved," she admitted. He continued to keep his arms around her. He knew how much she hated being away from him _. Ever since I was gone for a month, the thought had fully ingrained in her mind. I don't want to do that to her ever again._

"I'll study what the cattle above us uses for attire," he said and simply relished the feel of her body pressed against his. "Plans are in motion now."

"Are they?" she smiled.

"Yes. Our spy up above will send down another to find you in the underground sectors. You'll be hired on. Of course, I will be with you as another form of help. Hmm. Actually, I'll just be your personal lover. Don't put a collar on me, though."

"Never!"

"Good. Hmm. Then again...you know what? Screw it. No illusions. You're an evil sorceress for hire. I am your personal guard. To show your power, you'll have the Hell Hound and your four lava guards. I'll be your true muscle. I'm sick of hiding behind a paltry illusion. In fact..."

"Hmm?" she smiled. He got up from his throne with her and walked with her through the dungeon to where her disguise was.

"Put that on," he said. She looked at him with a slight smile of amusement, and she did just as he asked. He changed out the cloak clasp stones to have polished bloodstones in them. He seemed to nod at how her outfit gave her the regal look of a powerful magic user. It was all black leather and cloth. The cape had fake runic stitching in it, but no one would really know unless they knew what to look for. It would be hard to tell, since Horny put them in personally. He knew what demonic runes were true and false. The most they would do was glow a soft red. The effect was highly intimidating.

"Are we going somewhere?" she mused.

"Yes. A walk," he grinned. The lava guards were already following them. They were putting on a small parade. When Shade arrived, he looked perplexed.

"Is Dax with Shadowsbane?" Saithe asked.

"He is," Shade nodded.

"Good. I'm walking with Saithe to show she's going to be available for hire. No illusions," Horny grinned wickedly. Shade found himself snickering at this. The Hell Hound soon appeared with a leash in its mouth, and Horny was quick to get three collars fashioned for the three hinged leash to hook up to. Of course, it was all for show.

The Keeper was highly amused at this. As much as he would prefer stealth, this was a human settlement.  _Stealth wasn't needed. And it wasn't in the prime city above ground, either._ _Vile humans and other creatures traversed through this area all the time. Many would stop and stare, but none would dare to approach them. The Hell Hound and lava guards would see to that easily._

"If Dax needs you...?" Shade asked.

"We'll find a spot to stop and see to him," Horny said. "Until then, he is a lower priority. He knows this, too."

"He has been screaming for you," Shade grinned.

"Just get him. It will show how much we're lovers," Saithe shrugged. "I don't care anymore. What?"

"My son is weak. If we tend to him, it will be out of eyeshot. He's only screaming, because he is not the center of attention. He is fine," Horny snorted. "Give it three minutes, and he'll stop."

"It's been going on ten. I genuinely believe that he needs her," Shade frowned.

"Get him," Saithe nodded. When she saw her son, she paused at the whimpers and shivers he was giving out. She plucked him out of her father's arms and found herself clung to. Horny seemed to roll his eyes. "Fine, Dax. You can come with us. However, you have to behave."

Dax only sighed with complete comfort now and fell into a somewhat deep sleep. A black carry sling was fashioned for her to carry him on her back under the cloak. Then it was shifted to be off to her side in case he needed to nurse. At her frown, Horny looked at her mildly. "What is it?"

"He just...seems to act how I did when you were gone..." she grimaced. He placed a large hand around her waist to pull her to him.

"He stays. Fine," he muttered. "Keep him hidden."

"Okay," she nodded. At his soft whimpers in sleep, she gently pat his back to calm him again. That was actually what he needed. Horny sighed and shook his head.  _It was likely inevitable that it came to this. Our son needs support from parental figures on being so young. When he got older it would be better. For now, though, he needs us. It will strengthen his bond to us._

"Is he settled?" Horny asked.

"He is," she nodded.

"Good. Let's take our walk," Horny smirked. Shade would be watching from the shadows, as always. He had to protect his daughter and grandson, after all. Horny could take care of himself. That is always a proven fact.


	40. Chapter 40

The moment they stepped foot into the busiest section of the underground walkway, all traffic seemed to stop and stare. She gave a cold grin, and Horny bared his teeth at any that tried to stare at them for too long. Some people instantly panicked and began to shout that Hell came to them all. When they found themselves ignored and slighted, the rumors died down to nothing.

"Are you hungry?" Horny asked.

"Yes," she muttered. He offered his wrist and sneered at a bystander that stood with shock at how she sunk her teeth into him. An icy glare was given to another human that tried to blend into the shadows to get a closer look. The Hell Hound bared all three mouths of teeth to show it was ready to lunge. The four lava guards set their unblinking glares on any that seemed to show malice. And that was all the humans there.

"And...who might you be...?" a muscular human asked, as he walked over. He seemed to be of a higher rank from the others that hung around the area.

"A traveling mercenary. With my escorts, of course," she said lightly. "The demon here is my personal guard and lover."

"Is that so?" the man seemed to smirk. At the sight of the moving bundle against her side, and the sudden movement of Horny's scythe coming out and extending from its folded position, the man cowered down. The lava guards moved to completely surround her from view now. They gave off a rather livid sensation. "How do you control them?"

"I don't," she chuckled. Izaak gave a small nod in agreement. "They choose to do this. There isn't much else to say. Anyways, if you are not going to hire me for my killing expertise, then you're not needed around me. Get lost."

"I actually would like your services..." the man said. Then Horny gave a seething glare of complete hatred.

"And what services would this entail?" Horny asked with a menacing look. "She is my mate. I claimed her. She has my offspring at her side. You want to hire her? You go through  _me_  first!"

"Such a possessive beast you are!" she crooned at him.

"Better believe it!" he grunted at her without letting his glare leave the trembling man. He felt her come up behind him and press into him.

"What services did you have in mind? If it's basic guard duty, then no. I will not do anything that's boring. That and, if it is guard duty, I may end up stealing what I'm guarding. Just a fair warning to you," she smirked.

"I was thinking of a different service," the man said. At how Horny seemed to glare with his unblinking, glowing yellow gaze, he said, "How good are you at espionage? Are you able to collect information?"

"How good is your pay?" she asked evenly. "I take my payments up front. Don't like it? Then you can piss off."

"Oh, I have the funds..." the man said.

"And I have my contacts," she said with a shrug. "But, enough of this. Either pay me, tell me what you want, and let me do my job. Or...walk away before my mate decides to kill you out of spite and gives me your heart to eat it."

It was said with such a cold edge that the man knew she was being completely truthful. She had no reason to be idle. She also had no reason to lie. "I'll return with the coin. I don't carry it on me."

"That's fine," she shrugged again. "I don't care."

When the man left, a throwing dagger was seen bouncing off a lava guard's chest. It came from another area away from the man. At this, Horny smirked and looked at the Hell Hound. "Saithe. Let the hound play."

"Okay," she purred and unhooked the leash. The knife was sniffed, and the hound happily bounded off after the owner. After the harsh screams died down, a torso was brought over for the heart to be salvaged. "Oh! How thoughtful! You played fetch the heart! Such a wonderful thought."

The hound lolled out its tongues and let the leash get placed back on. Then it was given the carcass to eat. Resting all three heads on what was left of it, Horny smirked and looked over at the man returning with a large pouch.

"I hope this is enough..." the man started. Saithe was given the pouch by Horny after he inspected it. She took out one coin and felt the weight of it. She did this for the fifty gold coins it held. One coin she took and seemed to glare.

"This one is false. Replace it," she said and tossed the fake coin at him. Now the man was livid. He didn't know he had fake coins.

"Here," he grunted and flicked a true coin back at her to get caught neatly. "I'm hunting down the one that gave me the fake one. As for the information I need, I feel that I am being infiltrated in my own home."

"Oh?" she mused and sent her shadows out. She took out a crystal ball that really had no magical properties and peered into it. The shadows whispered to her of what they found out. "Hmm. Your neighbor. Talk to him. He holds your answers."

"Which neighbor?" he asked.

"You only have one," she snorted and put the crystal ball away. Now the man was impressed. She appeared to be authentic to him.

"A genuine mystic. I am very impressed," the man mused.

"You would think so. Anyways, you have your answer. I have my payment. We're done," she said. When he didn't leave, she gave a wary glance at him.

"Would you like permanent pay?" he asked.

"No. I mainly work for another. You could say that this is my...vacation," she grinned slightly. "And I could be called back to work at any time."

"Maybe I could speak with your employer?" he asked. At this bit given out, Horny found himself laughing when Shade showed up.

"Hello. I'm her father. You want to meet who she works for? I can take you to him," Shade smirked. He wasn't even his cloaked form, either. And he was in full view for all to see. Saithe rose up and let her father gave a mild hug to her. Then he turned to glare at the human. "Well? Do you want to meet with him?"

"Sure..." the man said and cleared his throat. The shadows were quick to drag the man down and spirit him away. They also stole the main key to his home.

"I think we'll have a nice recruit," Horny grinned savagely and pulled her against his chest. "And, unless I'm mistaken, I think he was one of the main men in charge."

"He was," she grinned back just as savagely at him. He laughed now and glanced over at another human walking over to them briskly. He was rather large and fat from his easy living. A couple hired thugs were walking behind him. At the sight of Horny's unblinking glare, the men actually paused with a form of terror.

"I heard that a mercenary was here," the man seemed to pant out.

"Maybe..." Saithe seemed to sneer at him. Shade was still there, and even he gave the fat man a snort of disgust. "Payments are taken up front only."

"What do you specialize in?" the man asked.

"What do you need me to do?" she smirked.

"Well..." he started and seem to look her form over.

"She's my mate," Horny said with a seething glare of hatred. "You want her to kill someone? Fine. You want her to get information for you? That's fine, too. Anything else...you go through  _me._  You don't want to go through me."

"Oh..." the man paled.

"She is not a common whore that you can simply pick up on the streets. And I'm her father," Shade said and crossed his arms over his overly-muscled, broad chest. When his wings snapped out to stretch and fold back in, the men behind the fat man seemed to cringe. "You have now pissed me off."

"I say to Hell with it. Let's slaughter everyone here!" Horny grinned wickedly at him. "Anyone that tries to make a pass at my mate gets to die."

"I like that," Saithe grinned. When Dax started to whimper, she pat his back. "Yes, yes. Don't worry. You'll get a taste of blood, too."

At the burning yellow pupils amidst the sea of black gazing back at her with a form of amusement, she chuckled and let him snuggle into her. He was starting to turn into something that would become overly protective of her. She wouldn't mind that in the slightest. As long as he didn't fight her or question her.

"I did have a request, though," the fat man seemed to cough.

"And...?" Horny asked with a narrowed glare.

"I have been trying to find various artifacts of great power. I do have one in my possession, but I was wondering if you could help me find the others," he said.

"Funny. I was also looking for these artifacts," she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. "It's why I'm here. And...since you have one in your possession..."

"We just need to find out which one," Shade chuckled. The shadows were already sent out. The fat man seemed to sputter his disbelief.

"I suggest that you run," Horny said with a bloodthirsty grin.

"Kill them!" the man ordered. It was heard by no one. His men was already killed by Orphek when he appeared behind them and snapped their necks. When he realized he was defenseless, he whimpered, "Um...I mean..."

"How about this," Saithe mused. "you give us what you have. Then you can walk away. Do we have a deal?"

"Um...sure..." the man shivered.

"And I'll be watching you," Shade warned. At this bit of news, the man fled. And the shadows watched him closely to give him that wonderful sense of dread.

"Disgusting," she growled. "If he dies, I don't want his heart."

"Really?" Horny smirked.

"Did you see how fat he was?! He'll likely taste like nothing but grease and lard!" she grimaced. That got Horny howling with laughter. "The thinner ones have a leaner texture. I can handle those."

"Or the meaty ones?" he smirked. At this comment, she pulled him close.

"You are the only one I need when it comes to meat," she grinned and ran a finger down his chest. He grinned back and kept an arm around her.

"Interesting. He's going to a mercenary guild to recruit more thugs," Shade said.

"A mercenary guild? Let's pay them a visit," she beamed. Her mate was musing at this idea. Shade snickered and walked back into the shadows to vanish away. Orphek was already studying the mercenaries that worked in the guild from where he was stationed. He wasn't impressed with any of them.

"We should kill them all," he grunted when Shade appeared at his side.

"Oh, tell me about it. And they are all easily bribed," the Shadow Demon nodded. "It does make me wonder if they can bribed into fighting each other."

"We should test the theory," Orphek mused. At this being said, a small gold coin easily rolled out of the shadows to bounce against a thug's fat foot. On seeing it, the fighting over it quickly started. When Saithe arrived with Horny and her small entourage, glances of surprise were now given. At the sight of the coin on the ground, that was still untouched, she rolled her eyes.

"Hmm. I expected a bit more of a show of responsibility," she murmured just loud enough to be heard. "Not a bunch of animals fighting over a shiny object."

"What did you say?!" one of the brutish thugs spat out.

"You heard me correctly," she smirked. "Such an idle coin brings nothing to me. I would have thought that fighting over a bag of them would be more accepted. But, a single coin? Please..."

"It's hard enough to find decent work," another frowned.

"Oh?" Saithe seemed amused at this. "Why is that?"

"You think it's easy to actually find someone willing to pay us for our work?" a muscular human snorted. "They make us work for free!"

"Start accepting payment up front," she shrugged. "It's what I do."

"And, if they can't pay us?" the first man asked.

"You don't do shit," Horny snickered. "Even half a payment down is better than getting nothing. If you don't know that, then why do you even choose to become a mercenary? To kill things and cause havoc, sure. But to make a living? You need to be a bit more realistic."

"You say it like it's easy!" a grimy-looking thug snorted. "And what are you, anyways? Some kind of freak?"

"I am a demon. A Horned Reaper," Horny grinned savagely. Saithe simply chuckled at the paled looks on the various faces now. "Keep pissing me off. I'll have this mercenary section completely cleared out."

"You didn't notice the tracks of fire behind him?" Saithe asked with a soft laugh. "Or the fact that his eyes are burning orbs? None of you even questioned the horns on his head! I'm surprised the lot of you are still alive."

The Hell Hound snarled and bared all three mouths to show the sharp rows of teeth waiting to tear into flesh. Her lava guards moved to show that they were ready to attack. When Orphek walked out of the shadows with her father, she grinned. Orphek glared at them all and flicked his wings. "We were ordered to wipe them out."

"That we were," Shade chuckled. The men showed that they were ready to defend themselves. Then the leader of the mercenary guild ran out.

"Wait!" the burly man said. "What are you?"

"Death on the horizon," Horny smirked.

"What specialties do you have?" he asked.

"What do you need? We tend to provide all. But, we are not for true hire," Shade said. "We usually watch from the sidelines. This is the first time we're walking along like this. And, even I'm surprised at our leniency. Anyways, our, eh, employer, wants us to remove the competition. So...we have to obey what he wants."

"Is he also one that recruits?" the man asked.

"In a sense. But, we rarely recruit humans. And we prefer to crush the opposition rather than work with them. If you catch my drift," Shade chuckled. "But, if you need business, we may be able to hire every single man here."

"What?" one of the men asked.

"Work? For pay?!" another grinned.

"Of course! Even we don't work for free," Shade chuckled again. "We have the coin to pay for everything we need. As to what we need, it's artifacts."

"I know what you're talking about," the burly man said. "Everyone wants them."

"But, we are willing to pay to get them," the Shadow Demon grinned. "Two of these humans came to us already. One of them is...being entertained. We have his house key. The other was the fat man that came to you just a bit ago."

"He had one?!" the leader said with surprise.

"You would have thought that he would have," Saithe sighed.  _Humans were so dense!_ She just shook her head and leaned into her mate's side. Dax gave a small sound to show he was hungry. "I need to nurse him."

"Go on," Horny nodded. The lava guards moved to make a circular wall around her for complete privacy to let her nurse her son.

"A kid?" a man snickered.

"Yes. My kid," Horny glowered. That got the man to shut up. "She's my mate. You don't like it? I don't care."

"What do they want now?" Orphek asked.

"To die," Horny smirked at him.

"I can grant that request," the Dark Angel grinned. "We shouldn't even be talking to them like this. I say we kill them all."

"If you recruit them, we'll vow to secrecy. Even me," the lead man said. "You said you would be able to do this?"

"We can," Shade shrugged. "We would want a lot of destruction, though. A way to divert attention. Think you all can handle that?"

"It's been a while since I got to beat up something for no reason," a mercenary grinned a gap-toothed grin. The other men were all for it. "And we get paid to do it!"

"Good! I'll give this to your leader now. Your job starts now," Shade said and the shadows delivered several bags filled with gold coins. "We always pay up front for services. That's the way it should be. And, if you do an outstanding job, we do provide extra coin for that service."

The men quickly dispersed to cause as much panic and mayhem as possible. Horny grinned wickedly and ran his hand along Saithe's back when she was able to press into his side again. The shadows would keep watch to see who did the best job. If any of the more powerful figures were drawn out of their protective homes, the shadows would easily infiltrate to help scout. Even if the items weren't there, the houses would be raided for all the stored wealth.

"Now what?" Saithe asked.

"I'm done walking among cattle," Horny snorted. She only nodded and let him lead her away. Of course, she did let the Hell Hound loose to scout around and kill whatever it liked. She was giving it a bit of a reward this way.

"I want to be the one to pick up the artifacts when they are found," Orphek said.

"Oh?" Shade mused at this. "That's fine. But, I should inspect them to ensure that none of them are trapped. You never know what else can be tied to a magical artifact. It's a precaution."

"I'm sure," the Dark Angel nodded. Shade paused at a report and grinned.

"Speaking of which, that fat merchant just made a stop. One of the thugs I semi-hired made their way into the main treasure vault. And stole something as proof. A shadow is in that vault now. Want to grab it?" Shade asked.

"Gladly," Orphek nodded. He walked into the shadows and found himself standing in a room that was flooded with wealth. Coins, expensive cloth, tapestries, furs, and other objects of solid gold filled the room. At the very center of it in a glass case was a ring. It appeared to be very plain. At a further study, it almost looked like it was tarnished silver. But, it was made to look ordinary. When Orphek tried to grab the ring, the glass made it transparent. Now he seemed to chuckle with amusement.

"An interesting warding," Shade said from behind him. "It makes the ring transparent to being handled. Like an illusion. So...if we make an illusion grab it..."

"You think?" Orphek grinned. A shadow was summoned to make the test. The ring was soon in their possession. "Not bad."

"And, this is the item that lets you stay up for longer than normal," Shade mused, as he read the faint inscriptions. "I wonder if the artifacts were described incorrectly. You were told that it was a ring that can give defenses, right? Or was it another? Ah, well. Anyways, I can leave a fake ring here. That will be easy to do. The spell is simple enough, too. It will be easy to duplicate, but we'll leave a fake artifact here."

"Very clever," the Dark Angel grinned a bit wider.  _It was easy for the Trolls to fashion a fake ring as identical as the original._  With this in place, they left quickly. There were two more artifacts to find. And, in another day, the meeting in the main city above would take place. They were all looking forward to see what could be found there.


	41. Chapter 41

When the shadow bound to the noble's ring latched to the meeting chamber in the main city, it was quick to find the scribe. The old, hunched over man noticed nothing unusual at all when the shadow latched onto his shadow. The spy was now in place.

"Places please!" a man in a powdered wig on top of a large podium droned out in a deep voice. Then a small hammer came down to knock on a table for more attention. The shadow paid complete attention to the different voices from various humans. It ignored the basic chatter, but its interest was caught as new items were voiced out and recorded. One of the items was, actually, an item they needed.

"It's the last one, right? A talisman?" Horny asked, as he nuzzled his mate. "We found the one for spell nullification in the form of a jeweled pendant. The fat bastard had that one. It was fun to pry off his fat body, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Shade nodded with a small grin. Horny was sitting on his throne with her and his son in his lap. "It's supposed to give elemental immunity."

"Where is it being stored?" Saithe asked with a touch of exhaustion. Horny knew she was pregnant again. She was already giving the signs of it, and he was all too pleased. When he rubbed her belly gently, she even gave a small wince.

"You knew it was going to happen," her mate grunted.

"Well, I did tell you that it was going to happen, too," she snorted. He could only nod and glance over at Shade. Her father was laughing softly.

"Find out where the last item is and take it," Horny growled out.

"Will you make an appearance above ground?" Shade asked.

"Actually," Saithe seemed to grin with a familiar mischievous look. "we have hired thugs. Let them pave the way for us. But, only after we have the artifact."

"I like where this is going," Shade chuckled. As he left the two of them alone, the Shadow Demon started to plan where to go after getting the last artifact. The last thing he wanted to be encountered by was a Possessed Warlock.

" _Ah! My Shadow Demon. I was planning to intercept you. We have a place to go to after our dealings here are complete,_ " he said.

"And where would this be?" Shade asked.

" _I have received a request for...temporary alliance. With another fellow Keeper. There is a battle underway, but it is not urgent. At least, not yet. I was informed of vast rewards for assistance. If there is blackmail..._ "

"Then we take care of the blackmailer," Shade nodded. The Keeper nodded back and let the Warlock regain himself and walk away. Shade sighed and went back to report to Horny. At this news, the Horned Reaper was pissed off.

"I would say to start sending out scouts now," Saithe advised. "Let's start checking the area that we are to appear in. The sooner we gain a foothold, the harder it will be for any foul play to be done. We could even send Orphek out to start up a small raid on the enemy party to stir up some confusion."

"I can see about scouting, but I wouldn't send him out," Shade said. "I have my own reasons for that."

"Trust issues?" Horny grinned.

"In so many words," Shade muttered. "I'd rather send myself out."

"We need you here," Saithe said. "It would be easier to send him, because that has the Keeper focused on him and not us. And, think on this. Orphek wouldn't be able to deliver the artifacts to me."

"Okay. You've made your case," Shade grinned wickedly. He went to where the Heart Chamber was and cleared his throat. Once he felt the presence of the Keeper, he voiced out the possible option. A Possessed Warlock was quick to approach.

" _I do like this! But...hmm. I wanted My Dark Angel to remain here to assist. I could send another Dark Angel out,_ " the Keeper mused aloud.

"Why don't we ask Orphek directly?" Shade asked. The Keeper was quick to bring Orphek to the Heart Chamber.

" _Tell me,_ " the Keeper asked Orphek. " _Would you object to scouting a new area for My domain? I have been requested to assist with aid to a fellow Keeper._ "

"Oh? I thought such a thing wasn't done," Orphek said.

" _On occasion, the rare occasion, we do band together to assist with a mutual cause. I have aided this one in the past. She is...trustworthy...to an extent,_ " the Keeper said lightly. " _And yes. I said 'she'._ "

"A female Keeper?!" Shade blinked with surprise.

" _Of course. No, we have not done anything more together. She and I are above that. We see each other as a form of family. Right now, she is facing an opponent that requires more than just her own brute force. We need to act as soon as we have this last artifact. For this matter, I was going to ask if you would be able to assist to scout for a suitable location for My domain to settle,_ " he said and looked at Orphek intently.

"I should see to getting the final artifact," he started.

"Don't bother. We'll get that. This is a touch more important," Shade said.

"I would prefer to remain," the Dark Angel growled.

" _I can send another out, if you feel you are inadequate for the scouting mission,_ " the Keeper seemed to smirk. Now Orphek glared at him with disbelief. Shade easily hid his grin.  _Orphek now had to prove himself to the Keeper._

"When do I leave? And where do I go?" he seemed to hiss out. Now that they walked off, Shade had to vanish away to report to Horny. The Horned Reaper was dying with laughter at all of it.

"So, he put his foot in his mouth, didn't he? I bet he'll chew his foot all the way off," Saithe grinned wickedly. "I hope he likes the taste."

"Oh, he's swallowing it, too," Shade snickered. "Ah! My shadow has reported where the talisman is. It's locked away in the main human's chamber above the underground city. We can get it from one of two ways. The first is the easy way. I simply steal it. The other way is the hard way. We fight our way in, tear the place apart, and cause intense mass mayhem. What do you think?"

"Do you really have to ask him that question?" Saithe sighed and shook her head.

"She's right, you know," Horny grinned wickedly. "We have the forces. We need to destroy this place. A show of force is always a must."

"Now it's just a matter of where to appear," Shade chuckled.

"I have a suggestion."

The three turned to look at the new voice and found the newly turned human facing them. Shade crossed his arms over his chest. "And what suggestion is this?"

"Just by anyone walking out of the underground section is enough to cause intense panic by the upper populace. We have hired thugs now. Send them out to take control of everything. Then we all can simply walk out and watch the town destroy itself," the muscular man grinned slightly. "I know most of the ins and outs of the upper section. I can set up where many can simply walk right out into the main square."

"Okay. Impress me. Do it now," Horny grunted.

"Give me ten minutes," the man nodded.

"And, Corvin," Shade said. The man seemed to pause that his name was found out. "Don't double-cross us. We will know if you do."

"I know," the man muttered. Saithe curled back her lip and got a good look at him. He appeared to be bald with a single topknot of black hair at the top. A carefully styled black mustache with a line of black hair formed in a small strip down his chin graced his face. Bushy, black eyebrows lined his dark brown eyes, and his skin was either very dirty or a golden brown.

He was also wearing all black leather for stealth, but, at the dirty look she gave him when he tried to glance at her again, he lowered his gaze. Horny narrowed his glowing gaze and seemed to snarl out his displeasure. It was a direct invitation for Corvin to high-tail it out of the area. It was easily accepted.

"I think I'll kill him for fun," Horny seemed to snort.

"Please do," Saithe muttered out. He only nodded and glanced over at the Hell Hound when it made its way over to them to curl up at the foot of the throne. Dax was sleeping in his own little cradle just a bit off of them. He was already starting on solids in full, and raw chicken flesh was being lightly chewed on in his sleep.

"How would he know where to go, anyways?" Horny asked aloud in thought.

"I know that answer," the Mistress said when she walked over. "He blabbed this out when I tortured him. He used to be one of the humans that lived above the surface. He was also one of the descendants of the main builders of the upper city. He had maps in his possession of every possible way out of the city, and into it, in case of emergencies. We weren't going to kill him, but he kept spewing everything out with each whip strike. It was...very pathetic and weak of him to do."

"But, it does give us our edge. Very well. Let him plant the traps. My shadows will watch his movements. Thanks for the insight," Shade grinned slightly at her. The Mistress nodded and turned to check on the maid. The female was showing the signs of complete pregnancy now, but it was going to take longer for her to give birth.

"What is the plan?" Orphek asked the Keeper in another section of the dungeon.

" _I will meet up with My temporary ally. I shall speak with her at length and decide how strong the enemy is. When I know, you will know,_ " the Possessed Warlock said. Orphek only nodded and seemed to muse at something.

"Can't you Possess something stronger than a Warlock?" he asked.

" _A Warlock has better speech. It is why they don't talk much. I force them to speak,_ " the Keeper smirked. Orphek found himself grinning. " _Prepare to move out._ "

"Understood," Orphek nodded. The Warlock seemed to sigh when he was released. He was getting used to being Possessed now. He hated it. And he really hated talking. Now that he knew why he was getting Possessed, he hated it even more. Then the Dark Angel walked over to him. "You know, you could request for extra pay..."

"Hmm..." the Warlock seemed to muse at the idea. He now moved to the Heart Chamber to make his request. At what the Keeper had planned for him, it was granted. He had just decided to try a very intense and dangerous experiment. He would likely go over it with his temporary ally to see what she thought.

Back on the surface world, Corvin was already instructing the hired goons on where to start appearing. If there was one thing he knew he was good at, it was causing intense distraction and mayhem. And, to make it even better, they waited until dusk when it began to become nightfall.

"On the count of three," Corvin grunted out to the thugs. "All of you charge out and start knocking things down. The people are starting to return to their homes now, so they won't know what's gonna hit them."

"Can we kill people?" a thug asked.

"Hmm. Not sure. If you do, well...make it look...accidental," Corvin grinned wickedly. Now the hired goons were excited. The moment the notice was given to strike, all of the men charged out of hiding.

"My wares!" a thin man screeched and tried to stabilize his cart of goods.

"No! My good skirts!" a plump woman cried out when a large man grabbed her dress to simply yank it free of her large thighs. Another man was quick to grab her and haul her off. It was only too obvious of her new fate.

"Defend the capitol!" a stout man in a powdered wig shouted.

"Get the civilians into their homes!" another man shouted over the crowds. Several men in various suits of military dress, powdered wigs, and wielding odd weapons stormed out to start thwarting the thugs back. Just when it seemed the area appeared to be back under control, Shade let the shadows mist out and spread. It was becoming dark enough that the shadows soon had full control. All of the lights were quickly extinguished and blocked out. When the panic reached an all new high, the ones that were delegating the city could only stare with complete horror when Horny came out of the shadows with several of the Keeper's minions.

His fiery footfalls left a nice trail of destruction in the already messy plaza. Saithe was soon walking at his side. Dax had to be left behind for this, but he was sleeping peacefully under Shadowsbane's watch.

"Demons!" one of the guards yelled and charged at Horny. The scythe came out, and his severed body was the next thing hitting the ground. Horny looked at Saithe to see her shrug. He grinned, turned to glare at the stupefied men before him, and cracked his neck. Then he roared and charged forward. Saithe yawned and watched the Hell Hound bound off to start tearing into whatever it found. Her four lava guards were quick to stand behind her, too. They never left her side.

"Having fun?" Shade chuckled and covered his daughter with a wing to protect her. He felt her lean into his side, and he gave her a fatherly squeeze. Horny swerved his body over to them and gave a dangerous glare at the Shadow Demon. Shade only nodded and let him take Saithe into his arms.

"Horny?" she frowned.

"I'm not letting that bastard touch you," he seethed and had her rest across his broad shoulders. She gave him an odd look now. "It's the way I am."

"I'll go with that," she chuckled. He gave an irritate sigh, but he was quick to relax at the feel of her hands lightly massaging behind his horns. His eyes began to droop at the comforting feel. Then his eyes popped open at the soft whisper she did to his ear.

"We can do that," Horny mused. She grinned and braced herself, as he moved again to start skewering anything in his path.

"Izaak! Can you help us collect some hearts with the others?" she asked the lava golem. It looked at the other golems, and they were quick to help. "Try not to cook them too much. Raw meat is needed for my new pregnancy."

It nodded to her and simply opened up various cavities to let the shadows take the hearts for them. When they reached the main chamber that housed all the meetings, Horny was able to tear down the doors. The lava golems walked in first to make room for them. Shade already received the news that the main humans had fled.

"Cowards," he smirked. "They all left."

"They don't want to play?" Saithe frowned. "How...depressing."

"Then let's find them and drive them from their little holes," Horny grinned savagely. He kissed her in a ravishing way before moving to the newly opened set of doors. That was all in thanks to the lava golems. The Hell Hound was busy marking territory, and it even found an odd limb to chew on happily.

"Let's see..." Shade muttered and gleaned what his shadows scoured for him. "Hmm. Okay. Corvin found the artifact we need. He knew where it was being held. The owner of the artifact is already dead. And...hmm. I think he plans to keep it."

"Oh, good. I get to kill him," Horny smirked and moved to where the shadows lead them. Saithe sighed and yawned in an exhausted way. She easily shifted her weight to work with his moves. "Don't worry. We're almost done."

"Sure. Then we have yet another place to go to," she mumbled with a roll of her eyes. Shade glanced at her and grinned softly.

"It comes with the job," Horny seemed to shrug and let his scythe gut a guard open. "Would you expect any less from this?"

"No. It's just..." she sighed. "is another pregnancy even safe?"

"I think it is. I'm protecting you. So, yes, I think you're safe enough," he said and kicked down a door for several skeletons and goblins to infiltrate. One of the Dark Knights was busy pillaging various counters in the elaborately done home. When he glanced over to see Saithe resting on Horny's shoulders, and clearly admiring her figure, he found himself punched out. "And that was for staring at her!"

The Dark Knight seethed and moved to counter-punch, but a lava golem moved neatly into the minion's path. At the unblinking, glowing glare given in warning, the Dark Knight seemed to sulk. He moved to take his newly found anger out on a guard's corpse. Erizus was all too pleased at the result.

"You didn't have to do that," Saithe chuckled. Erizus seemed to snort and moved back into position. Horny was incredibly possessive of her. They were showing that only he could do what he wanted with her. It was simply a given.

"Where is the traitor?" he growled out.

"Right there," Shade said with a gesture to the cowering man before them. In just a few steps, Shade was right in Corvin's face. "Give over the trinket. Or die. Your call."

"No! Do you have  _any_  idea how hard all of us have fought to get this?!" the man snarled. "It will protect me against your fire freaks!"

"But...it doesn't protect against this," Horny grinned sadistically when his scythe simply impaled the man and held him aloft. He plucked the odd-looking charm of various feathers and gems out of the man's hand to study it. "Interesting."

"I thought it would be more elaborate," Saithe frowned. Her father took it to examine a bit closer. He was actually impressed.

"It's a pouch. Oh! It's filled with a form of dust," Shade said and carefully removed just a couple grains of the pouch contents. Then he smelled it. "Huh! Pixie dust. The stuff in here is a bit old. I know where to replace the dust. I can do that."

"Good. I want to see the other two things found. And I want her to wear them," Horny said with a knowing glare to show he was serious. Shade fully understood. They left and let the rest of the Keeper's minions finish razing the place to the ground. Later in the night, the entire city would collapse in on itself. Death and destruction. It was a beautiful thing.


	42. Chapter 42

Orphek found himself facing an impressive cavern filled with gold veins, wide spaces for tunneling, and plenty of spots to plot for ambushing, if needed. The Keeper was quick to move his Heart Chamber here to start constructing his new base of operations. Horny was too pissed off at being moved around now. He was mainly pissed for two good reasons. The first was he had to reset up his throne and chamber. The other reason he was pissed was because Saithe had gotten severely ill from the move.

"It's fine," she sighed and leaned into his heated embrace.

"That was a full meal you had, too," he growled out and settled in his reformed throne with her in his lap. "It's not fine."

"I should help with the construction of the dungeon," she muttered.

"No. Let your father do that," he said. He made sure she was wearing the ring and the pendant. Shade was getting fresh pixie dust for the charm. Once it was retrieved, after the mildly abusive shaking he gave the pixie for fun, the pouch was sealed up and given over. "Good. It's fixed. Wear this."

"Okay," Saithe sighed and managed to wear it like a bracelet. The pendant already had a chain, but it was converted into a clip to be held within her strands of hair. He did think of her wearing a collar for it, but then he quickly removed the idea from his thoughts.  _She is my equal. Not a slave._  Her armor did hold a spot to wear it now, and the ring was very simple for her to put on, anyways.

"Izaak, what do you think of this place?" Horny snorted at the lava golem.

"Empty..." it said with a small shrug. At the sound of constant mining, Saithe frowned and winced at the sound. Her senses were getting sensitive from the pregnancy. Horny had her press her head into his chest to hear his heartbeat. That drowned out the sounds and helped her out.

"The Imps found an untouched gem mine," Shade chuckled from what the shadows said. "We now have a form of infinite funding."

"Is that so?" Horny grinned. Saithe blinked at the sudden sack of raw gemstones that landed in her lap as a form of payment from the Keeper. Horny grinned even wider at this, and he sorted through a few of the gems.

"Hand me any that look decent enough. The Trolls can fix them up," Shade said.

"Father, what are you thinking of?" Saithe asked and turned to received Dax from an undead nanny. The half-demon child sat happily in her lap now, as Horny kept her in his lap. He gave a smirk to his son, and Dax smirked back in the same manner.

"Behave," Horny warned. Dax nodded. He was getting much smarter now, and he was already two feet in height. His horns were starting to grow out, and the wing sack on his back was getting a bit more transparent. In another week, his wings would be free.

"Try this," Saithe said and handed her son a sliver of tender heart meat from a human. Dax took it to chew on. He clearly liked it and was given more when he wanted it. Saithe only chuckled at this.

"Good. You like what she does," Horny nodded. Now he looked at Shade.

"I was only thinking that, if we are meeting another Keeper of a female variety, she should look her best. As in decked out with as much wealth as possible," Shade chuckled. "It will show that she's important."

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "It will draw too much attention to me."

"I doubt it will matter, if you're seen," Shade frowned. "Wealth shows importance. Importance shows immunity. It should happen."

"When you put it like that..." Horny mused aloud. Then he paused at Shade's hissing growl. "What is it?"

"This allied Keeper. There is a rival Reaper here," he said with disgust. Horny shivered with control. He wanted to slaughter the opposition now. Saithe sighed and shook her head with a sense of pity.

"My son will stay with Shadowsbane, if this other one becomes aware of Saithe," Horny snorted with a mild order. "As for the gems...fine. Let's decorate her."

"Really?" she grinned. He chuckled and squeezed her to him. "You know, I did notice something rather odd."

"Hmm?" he gazed at her.

"That first Reaper that tried to approach me. I think that, if I glared at him, he wouldn't have been able to take it. He was too weak to me," she said.

"You never glared at him, did you?" he asked.

"No. He never had a chance to do that," she shrugged.

"Don't let any others do that. Only me," he said. She smiled and let him stare into her black-eyed depths. At the sensation of falling in her endless gaze, he growled out, "This bliss...is mine. Mine alone..."

"It always is," she muttered and let him kiss her deeply. Shade was able to gather up Dax, and he swerved suddenly to see a figure appearing in the entryway. It was the other Reaper. He was granted permission to see the allied dungeon. Shade was quick to turn his back and spread his wings to block out the sight of Saithe and his grandson.

"Stay here," Horny grunted and placed Saithe in his throne. He nodded to Shade and was able to charge past him to confront the other Reaper. "I'm Horny. This is my lair. Get out."

"Is that so?" the other Reaper mused. He had a deeper tone of voice to show he was a bit older. His body was bulkier, too, but he recognized Horny. Horny was considered a champion among the older Reapers. And this one knew that Horny was as deadly as any of them, too. "Anything...of importance here?"

"There is. But, that's not for you to know," Horny grunted and gestured for the other to leave. He was only being neutral, because of the supposed alliance between the Keepers. Just as the other was leaving, Dax let out a hiss at the unknown scent. Now the rival paused and turned with shock. He recognized the sound. And that sound only came from a Reaper, but the hiss was incredibly young.  _It signified only one thing..._

"Offspring?!" the other gaped with shock. Now the four lava guards walked over to bar the way back in. At this, Horny smirked.

"Yes. Mine," he grinned and let the door slam shut and lock the other out. The other Reaper was truly puzzled now. It was a first for him. The younger Reaper that was slain was too young in ways to be truly shocked on the knowledge that Saithe was pregnant at the time. He should have reacted like this to begin with. When the older rival turned at the sound of another approaching, he noticed it was a Dark Angel.

"Hi. I'm Orphek. I'm guessing you just saw Horny and Saithe?" he grinned.

"I saw Horny. Not the other," the Reaper said.

"Saithe is his mate. He doesn't like it when others stare at her."

"Interesting. She was kept hidden from me. I also heard offspring."

"Yes. He has an heir. She is pregnant with another."

"She is receptive to Reapers?"

"Apparently so," Orphek shrugged.

"We don't breed, you see," the Reaper said and gestured to walk down the hallway to talk at length. The shadows were listening in secret. "We simply come around and exist. This is the first time that I have heard of successful breeding. And, I've been around longer than most Keepers trying to set up their first attacks. Horny is one of the most successful of our kind. We respect him. And, if he has taken a mate, and she can breed with him, he must be a very special case."

"What do you mean?" Orphek asked now. He was genuinely curious.

"He is defying laws that demons need to do," the rival said calmly. "Sure. We can mate. We kill. We sleep. We eat. We just...never were able to make offspring."

"Before now," Orphek mused.

"Yes. Do you know of his mate's lineage?"

"I do not. But, her father is a Shadow Demon. I do not know of her mother."

"Shadow Demon..." the rival said thoughtfully. "We should find out about her mother. We need to know."

"No. You don't," Shade said when he appeared before them. "Yes. I'm Saithe's father. She is made specifically for Horny. I'm leaving it at that."

"You do know that him having offspring is going to cause some controversy in our ranking," the Reaper said slowly. "Once word gets out about this, his mate will be hunted down to see if it can be done with other Reapers."

"Even you?" Orphek asked.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen her yet," the Reaper grinned.

"And, at this rate, you never will," Shade sighed and vanished away. When he appeared next to Horny, he gave his report. The news was not taken lightly.

"If he dares to touch her..." Horny said with a smoldering hiss of hatred. He didn't budge when Saithe moved to recline over his shoulders with comfort. He stood up after that to pace around. He already felt new movement from her womb when a small kick was given to the back of his head. He was not going to allow anything to remove it.

"He said that this is the first time that any Reaper was able to reproduce," Shade said. "Is this true?"

"Unfortunately, it is a truth," Horny grunted. "I told Saithe before that I was a bit surprised that offspring was trying to take."

"That you did," she smiled and let him reach up to pull her face close to kiss her.

"I think I know why," Shade said with a snap of his fingers. "You love her."

"What?" Horny frowned at him.

"You held no emotion for any others. You do for her. That's when the offspring started to form, right?"

"I..." he paused in thought over this. "You might be right..."

"So, if you tell this to the other Reapers...?" Saithe asked.

"They will not believe me, unless they see you and Dax. Even then, I refuse to let you be seen after this. You're right. There is no need to let you be seen by others," he muttered and sighed at the feel of her hands gently massaging his neck muscles. "There would be only one way for all of this to go down. And that's if a meeting of Reapers is called. That's a rare exception, though. We don't like to meet up for anything."

"That other Reaper appears to be older," Shade said.

"I know. And, he would know how to contact those that would be interested in my situation," Horny grunted. "I may not answer the call, if they send one out."

"You should, though," she said.

"And leave you here defenseless?" he grunted at her. "No. If I do go, you'd have to come with me."

"Or you leave me with Shadowsbane," she smiled. He thought about it, but then he shook his head.

"I cannot risk even that," he muttered. "You would have to come with me."

Just when he began to push the thought away from his mind, he felt it. And he bared his teeth with disgust. Then he saw the small spark of blue flame that sputtered out from one of the wall torches that lined the walls.  _The request for a meeting was sent and received._  She paused at him and frowned. "Horny?"

"I knew it!" he growled. "A meeting of Reapers is being called. I just saw a spark of blue fire from a torch. This means that it is urgent. The last time I saw that was over three hundred years ago. It signifies urgency."

"By color?" Saithe frowned.

"Yes. White means optional. Blue means necessary. If I do not appear, I will be sought out. We don't want that," he grunted. "The last one sought out was brought there severely wounded. And he died during the meeting."

"Do you think I could go?" Shade asked.

"I don't know. Your shadows might be able to watch. I'm not sure about any others. If there is any form of spying, they tend to kill it off. The lava guards may be fine, though. They don't say a word unless needed. And, I doubt any of them can try to make the guards bleed. Actually..."

"Hmm?" she frowned again. Now she found herself in Izaak's stony arms.

"Protect her at all times," Horny ordered. The lava guard nodded. "I trust you with them more than any others."

"Good idea," Shade nodded at this. Horny saw the worried look that Saithe gave him. He moved to her side to kiss her deeply.

"I  _will_  come back to you. Shade will ensure it," he soothed her.

"I love you," she swallowed.

"I love you, too. Put on your armors, just in case," he smirked and kissed her again. As he turned to leave, something stopped him.  _She was pregnant again. I had been gone too long before._  And now it clicked into place on why a council of Reapers was being called.  _She had to go with me._  He swore softly. Now he helped her dress in her armors quickly.  _I can't leave her alone. If I did, they would try to find her with me away from her. I need her with me to protect her._

"Is something wrong?" Shade asked.

"Izaak. Get your brothers. Bring her. Bring my son, too. We have to go together to this meeting. If I leave Saithe here alone, she will stress out over me. I cannot leave her when she's pregnant again. She'll abort it. I don't want that to happen. I also don't want them to try and infiltrate my lair while I am gone. Let's move now," he growled and began to make a design into the ground with his fiery trails. When the pentagram was finished, it became a portal. "I'll go in last. Go."

"Horny...?" Saithe winced a bit.

"I'm protecting you personally," he vowed. She nodded, but he still had Izaak hold her. The other lava guards moved in a single-file way through the portal. They all found themselves inside a dormant volcano.

The place was massive, filled with chiseled out seating in a circular pattern, and the ground appeared to be smoother than glass from all the fiery trails that melted the sand and debris together over time. It was the only neutral zone of the Reapers. And there were quite a few of them.

Each Reaper held a scythe and had various body builds. Saithe was repulsed by them all. Only Horny was perfect for her. She found problems with all the others. As Horny led his small group to the central floor, Dax actually found himself burying into Uzok's protective arms. He didn't like it here at all.

"Good. You made it," the larger rival Reaper grinned.

"Shut up. If my mate gets ill, you're cleaning it!" Horny snapped. "I need to hurry. Or, I should say, we  _both_  need to hurry. This meeting is a waste of time."

"To you," he grunted in response. Now he looked at Saithe and paused with shock. And now he realized why Horny didn't want her to be seen.

"This place is different," Shade mused. He was able to appear with the rest of them. The light was dimmed just enough for him to be there safely. When Saithe was able to glance around her, she saw there were about a hundred or so of the various Reapers there. All of them were of different ages and sizes. And all of them were staring at her with shock and disbelief. She was desirable to all of them, and Horny noticed this right away. He let out a sharp hiss for attention and made sure he got it.

"She is my mate.  _Mine!_  I claimed her. She is with my offspring once again. My son is here, too. You all wanted to see her to show that this is possible. As you all can see, having offspring is possible. I'm leaving now before she gets ill. I came here when called. I am now able to leave," Horny addressed to them all. There were snarls of disbelief and outrage at this. At the sight of a much older Reaper blocking the exit, he bared his teeth. As much as he was done with them, they weren't done with him.

"What is the secret?" this Reaper asked. He was covered with old scars to show how long he lived so far. Even his horns had small nicks and chips in them. Horny snorted and regarded him. This one could have been one of the elders of the Reaper race.

"Simple. She...fascinated me. I kill for her, and she, in turn, kills for me. We are equals," Horny grinned. This has a round of surprised looks and small gasps.

"You hold emotion for her?!" he asked with shock.

"That I do. Now step aside," Horny growled in warning.

"Horny," Saithe said gently. He turned to regard her. "What do they want?"

"They cannot believe what they see," he muttered. She could only smile and nod at that. "They will not let us leave."

"Father, do you know where the Keeper's lair is from here?" she asked.

"Hmm," Shade mused. "I do. Hold on!"

"What?!" the elder Reaper said with shock, as the shadows swarmed around Horny and the group to vanish away. Shade always knew where his home was. Right now, it was in the Keeper's dungeon. When Horny reappeared in his familiar lair, he took Saithe into his arms. Then he quickly smudged out the used up portal design on the ground. He had to do this, or the others would try to trace where he was.

"Is there going to be another war?" she frowned.

"I think they may wait until this one war we have is done with," Horny said. He moved to sit in his throne with her, and he looked up when the rival Reaper stormed in.

"You left early!" he snarled.

"My mate would have gotten ill, if I remained," Horny warned silently. Now the other Reaper backed down at this. "If she did get ill, I would have attacked everyone out of complete anger and disgust."

"You would have attacked a gathering?!" he gaped.

"For Saithe, I would slaughter the world," Horny grinned evilly. Now Saithe looked at the Reaper with irritation. The moment her eyes locked on his, he became paralyzed. Only Horny, her current mate, would ever find comfort in her gaze. Only he was immune to the paralyzing effects. All others wouldn't be able to cope with it.

"Horny is my mate, and I am his. At first, yes, I didn't know what to expect. I ran from him. He chased me down. He proved himself to me. I was made to be for him. I want no other," she said calmly with a cold smirk. "If we are to be allies in this current war, then we should be working together, right?"

"Agreed..." the rival muttered when he regained his senses.

"Horny already killed one Reaper that tried to challenge him for me. I don't want him to have to fight another. Unless the two of you simply want to go at it now..." she seemed to shrug. "But, I would suggest to save your strength."

"What are you?" the rival asked.

"I am half Shadow Demon. And half something else," she murmured and snuggled into her mate's chest. "I don't think you need to know."

"As long as you're not half human," Horny grinned. Then he laughed softly at her scowl at him. "We thought you were, though."

"Just because my Mother lived among them..." she grumbled and squeaked at the squeeze he gave her. Now the rival saw what Horny meant back at the meeting.  _He held emotion for her. He cared about her greatly._

"So...you were being truthful..." the rival muttered out with disbelief.

"I was," Horny nodded.

"I'll see where our mutual enemy is and let you know," he said and quickly walked out. Shade was curious now, and a shadow was quickly sent out to follow the other Reaper. The rival Reaper went to an odd blue flame in the middle of a fire pit on his home dungeon grounds. "I have seen truth. Emotion for the other is needed."

"Interesting..." the voice responded. It sounded like the elder Reaper. "We shall test this theory for ourselves."

"Did you see the offspring?!" another Reaper hissed out from the flame.

"Not quite yet. I will not harm any, though. A war is afoot. My Keeper has arranged for allegiance right now," the rival said.

"I do have a proposition," the elder Reaper said. "Discuss this with the two Keepers. If they would like to have a temporary army of Reapers to wipe out their problem in exchange for intense study of our, ah, brother and his mate. As well as the offspring in question."

"That will seem strange," the rival admitted. "We are not known to fight together. It may cause problems."

"They don't know our ways in full now. Do they?" the elder Reaper chuckled. "We can fight together for a limited time. After it is done, we shall disperse. Only then may we see ourselves as enemies. If we are preoccupied with fighting something else..."

"Of course," the rival Reaper chuckled. The shadow was already making a report. And Shade was both amused and outraged at everything. He knew that both Keepers would want an army of Reapers.  _Such a thing was too lucrative a deal to pass up._

But, then Shade thought to himself.  _Would an alliance last long after it was done for the army to stay in place?_  He knew that both Keepers would want to keep such an army _. If they went against each other and forgot about any plots against Saithe and Horny, then I would further let my Keeper see the other as a fault._  He grinned at this and melded back into the shadows to keep track of what else was happening around him.


	43. Chapter 43

It took three days of careful planning to finally set the course of the siege on the enemy lines. Horny's Keeper was giggling with sheer delight at the army promised to him. Even the female Keeper was fairly amused. What's more was that they were going to keep their alliance past the war. They wanted to test an experiment regardless of the repercussions. They did try something in secret, but it wasn't the same.

" _This body is too weak..._ " the Possessed Mistress sighed.

" _As it is with this one..._ " the Keeper grumbled from Daren while Possessed. They had agreed to go with the minions he had that were already together to avoid complications if something happened.

" _Will they remember anything?_ " she asked.

" _No. They were sleeping. They know nothing. We shall have to see how this goes when the ones we want are free,_ " the Keeper muttered. The Possessed Mistress nodded, and they positioned the minions back where they were before releasing them. Another Possessed Mistress from her side approached the Possessed Warlock that he had ready. They both went to the War Room that was stationed between their realms. Shade was there with Orphek. Horny was even there with Saithe draped over his shoulders. When the rival Reaper appeared, Horny snorted, but he turned his gaze to the reconstructed map before them on the large, circular table.

"The defenses look weak here," Shade said and pointed to a back wall that they knew of. "If we have the Imps tunnel in, we may have an advantage."

"The Reapers can infiltrate the moment a direct path is revealed," the rival Reaper snickered. "All will be slaughtered on sight."

" _This is good to know. My minions will bolster the attack from the outside to remove any that try to escape from within,_ " the Keeper mused from the Possessed Warlock. " _Any that try to flee will be cut down._ "

" _I shall have My minions continue to gather resources to assist,_ " the Possessed Mistress chuckled. " _Where shall you and your mate be?_ "

"Likely guarding the Keeper's Heart," Horny snorted. "Any that try to infiltrate there will get confronted by me."

"You will not join in the attack?" the rival frowned.

"My mate is with offspring once more. I guard her and the Heart," he growled in warning. "Shade will inform us of what happens."

"And your current offspring?" the rival asked.

"Guarded," Shade grounded out. He refused to say that Shadowsbane would be guarding Dax. They didn't know about the black dragon yet. It was going to be kept that way. More decisions were made, and now the rival thought about the lava guards.

"Could you send in those guards of hers?" he asked.

"No," Horny said flatly. "They are bound to guard her only."

"It would be their decision," Saithe shrugged. The guards were always standing behind her, and it was Drizik that stepped forward.

"We...only...watch...her..." it grounded out.

"Fight...your...own...fights..." Erizus ground out next. Horny grinned a touch wickedly at that. Then, much to everyone's surprise, Izaak stepped forward and pressed a large, lava stone finger into a part of the map. It was a completely overlooked area with a small bridge. And it was a definite weak spot to the enemy.

"Strike...here..." Izaak grounded out and stepped back.

"I'm checking out that area right now," Shade mused and sent his shadows.

"How did you know?" Saithe smiled at Izaak.

"I...was...guarding...for...ages. With...the...others. We...know...of...this. Where...to...find...weaknesses..." it replied. It actually sounded like it ground out a chuckle, too.

"I'm impressed," Horny nodded.

"As am I," the rival mused. Shade focused and began to grin at the report given.

"The path to the bridge is treacherous. However, if we are silent and move quickly, we can build our own path to it. That's why it's so lax in being checked on," Shade said from what he heard. "Also, right above us, there is a castle. We should check it out. What do you all think?"

" _The grounds above have been a thorn in My side for centuries!_ " the Possessed Mistress growled out. " _I am constantly attacked from there, too._ "

"Then let's mess that place up next," Saithe giggled. "Father, can you build us a map of the place?"

"That I can," Shade nodded. Both Keepers were pleased. It would keep their alliance to each other active even longer. The map on the table was cleared, and this time the rival Reaper was able to help construct the map that he knew of when it came to the grounds above them. Horny took a vast interest in the extensive armory. Saithe was amused at the farmland, too.  _It looked like a nice, peaceful countryside castle._  It was soon going to become a smoking pit of death and destruction by the time they were done.

"It looks like a fun place to raid," Saithe grinned and snuggled into her mate's shoulders. He smirked at her and could only nod.

"First order of business," Shade said lightly. "We take care of the threat in front of us. Then we will take care of what is above us. We'll have the Imps construct the necessary bridge first. Then we will work on slowly infiltrating the enemy lines. If this rival Keeper is every bit as powerful as all proclaim, we need to know our enemy first."

" _Wise words, My Shadow Demon. Let it be done,_ " the Possessed Warlock nodded. At the sound of harsh screams coming from the Torture Chamber, he seemed to grin rather wickedly. _The maid was giving birth at long last._

"Ick..." Saithe muttered.

"Very..." Horny snorted and turned to walk back to his lair with her. The rival Reaper was quite intrigued, though. He went to check it out. What the maid gave birth to was some form of a child from one of the first monsters that took her. That was a Troll. It was easy tell from the slight overbite that would develop and the mottled grey-pink skin.

"What is that?" the rival Reaper asked.

"A baby Troll and human hybrid," the Mistress grinned wickedly. "We'll let it grow for a month. She may be ready for more raping later."

"Is that so?" he mused. "Hmm..."

"She's property of our Keeper," Daren said. "If you want anything to do with her, you need to speak with him."

"I may have to in order to test something," he smirked. He wanted to see if he could gain a form of emotion with her. He wanted to see if he could get her to breed out with him. The only hurdle with her was that he wasn't truly interested in her. When his thoughts went to Saithe, he actually found a spark of lingering desire at her very image. It made him wonder why that was.

As he was lost in his own thoughts, Horny was cradling Saithe to him on his throne. As always, he was in his own form of contentment when it was just her with him. He kept a hot hand on her belly to feel his quickly forming offspring. His eyes were closed in silent meditation, as she slept against him. The lava guards were ever watchful in the small room. When Shade appeared, Horny snapped his glowing yellow eyes open to regard him with a small glare.

"The bridge is almost made. I have also uncovered other weak points that were hard to reach. I would suggest..." Shade said with a sharp, wicked grin. "we can have the Reaper army flood in from all sides for mass mayhem."

"That actually sounds like fun," Horny grinned back just as wickedly.

"I will let our...allied Reaper...know of the possible plan," Shade nodded. Horny rolled his eyes, but he closed them right after to refocus on his mate. At the feel of her hand on his cheek, he opened his eyes again to smile at her.

"What did he want?" she asked.

"Oh, just telling me of ways to infiltrate better. The rival Keeper here, that is," he muttered. She sighed and shook her head. "Hmm? What's on your mind?"

"I keep getting the feeling that something is just...off," she frowned and snuggled into his heated embrace. "That we have to watch ourselves. Do you feel it, too?"

"I've always had that feeling," he seemed to shrug.

"I know. But, this is just...even more," she tried to explain. He paused at this.

"Bare your neck for me," he muttered. She arched her neck up for him to scratch it open and lock his mouth to the wound. Now he gleaned her thoughts. And it was now that he felt what she thought was wrong. He pulled his mouth away from her neck and kissed her fiercely. Then he gazed at her and said, "I will  _never_  let you get torn from me. Ever. You are my equal. My mate. The only one I will ever love. Nothing will get to you. They go through me first before that happens."

"I fought so hard for you to come back to me," she swallowed and let him lift her to nuzzle her. "I can't bear the thought of you becoming lost to me again."

"I vow that it will never happen again," he muttered thickly and kissed her possessively. He needed her now, and he was quick to position her to take her. She cried out at his roar when he reached his peak, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to rest against him. He let out a deep sigh of contentment now and closed his eyes. He knew she'd need a bath in a bit, but, for now, he wanted this.

"I love you, Horny," she swallowed and kept her face pressed into his neck.

"I love you, too," he grunted and kept his arms around her.

"I'm actually rather glad that we won't be joining in the fight. With all those other Reapers around, that is."

"Trust me. The thought hadn't left my mind."

"I remember the way they all saw me."

"So do I."

"I intrigue them as much as you."

"Only I will ever touch you," he grunted. She nodded and fully relaxed now. At the sight of a platter of hearts appearing, he was quick to pick up the largest one to share with her. When it was gone, he finally lifted her up with him to carry her to the closest underground river. The only problem was that, around here, there really wasn't any form of river. He growled at that news.

"Take her south. There is one there," Shade said.

"I may need my location moved there," Horny muttered and followed the shadows. "She needs a quick way there and back."

"You forget she's my daughter. Let the shadows take you," Shade chuckled. Horny smirked and let Saithe do just that. After she was able to bathe and freshen up, he let her take him back to their lair. He settled back in his throne to hold her. The lava golems didn't move once, but it was for a reason. They sensed the other Reapers getting ready to descend on the enemy. They were going to ensure that none of them could reach her or Horny. Dax was safe enough with Shadowsbane and the hatchlings.

"We need to go to the Heart chamber. Come with us," Horny muttered to them. The golems nodded and moved easily. "Saithe, you are not to leave my side."

"Tell me something I already don't know," she smirked and moved to settle on his shoulders. He grinned at that. Now that they were stationed to guard the Heart, the rival Keeper's dungeon was being secured for infiltration. This Keeper had no idea that he was going to die within the hour. And that was proven when the rival Reaper tossed a fiery blue crystal into an open flame to sound the alarm.

Over a hundred Reapers appeared from various portals that were carefully constructed in secret. All of them snarled, roared, and descended into the dungeon to slaughter and destroy everything before them. The rival Keeper had no chance. When a minion tried to escape, it was killed off by the armies of the other two Keepers waiting in the distance. It was complete and utter chaos.

An hour later, the elder Reaper was meeting with the others in the neutral War Room. He looked over the plans for the castle above. He was eager to kill whatever stood in his way. "I shall ensure we will be ready for this next attack."

" _It is good to know that others are willing to join in the fight,_ " the Possessed Warlock smirked. " _How long do you plan to be available?_ "

"It is rare for us to band together like this. But...we have a request," the elder Reaper said. "The mated ones here. Our fellow Reaper and his mate. We wish to...study them. We have yet to fully breed out. Such a thing is unheard of."

" _As I have been made aware. We shall come to an agreement. He is...quite protective of her. As you can see..._ " the Possessed Warlock grinned at Horny's look of absolute hatred. The Horned Reaper snarled and turned from the room. Shade had stopped him from leaving in full, though. He had information for them all.

"There is a queen and king living in the castle above. Well, was a queen, apparently. I think she died off. But, there is a prince that has yet to be married off," Shade said with his report.

"Saithe is to have no part of this," Horny growled.

"You don't like watching them try to be with me so you can kill them off?" she grinned wickedly. Now he glanced up at her from where she rested along his horned shoulders. "And, I just had the most evil and wicked idea."

"Okay. Talk," he mused.

"I can 'summon' the Reaper army," she grinned even more. He paused at this idea. "The golems will still be at my beck and call, of course. A young, passing sorceress of unknown lineage stopping at a local tavern. Four lava guards at her side. A protective, bloodthirsty, and loving demon at her side, too. You  _know_  that desperation sets in if too much time has passed. Actually, if you wanted to change it up a bit, we could set up a trap..."

"Trap idea. What is that?" Shade asked.

"Dress me up as a princess. Send word that I'm 'kidnapped from a neighboring village'. Any strong Knights from this kingdom that try to reach me..." she grinned even wider. Horny liked this idea even more.  _With each Knight sent out, it would ensure their defenses would be weakened. In time, the prince would want to look for himself to prove his bravery and worth. Shadowsbane would eagerly play as the 'evil dragon' to deter any that got too close. Or maybe even I could be her captor._  The plan was brilliant.

"If they try to flee, we can wait for them," the elder Reaper snickered darkly.

"Set me up in a labyrinth," Saithe chuckled. "But, don't put me in the center. Set me in a corner room. And, to ensure no rumors can spread, shift my location."

"Yes. We'll go with this idea instead of you running head first into trouble," Shade laughed softly. "It will be easy to construct a maze. Shifting you around may be a touch difficult, but, with the right spells, we may be able to just enchant the room. We can leave a few empty areas for the room to populate. If an adventurer tries to linger near the empty room, a monster will simply appear there instead."

"Put one of us in the empty room, and we'll teleport around as the room does," the elder Reaper snickered again. "It gives us something to do. None of us are allied to Keepers right now, so we can do this in our downtime."

" _It shall be done,_ " the Possessed Warlock nodded. The Possessed Mistress was all too pleased with this idea. " _We shall start the mining process now._ "

" _I can lead you to where this place can be constructed. It is not far from the castle at all,_ " the Possessed Mistress said. " _How will word spread to the thorn in My side? I do have to wonder._ "

"Leave that to me," Shade chuckled. They all nodded and dispersed. He was planning to have an undead servant dress up in a prior Knight's garb from a kingdom they already conquered. The servant would inform them of what was going on before dying again. It would be easy to play out a death scene. The costume was already being collected and set up. By the very early morning, the messenger would be sent. The undead servant would have a mangled body, but it would be easy for the Priest to fix up.

Now with new plans in motion, and a new trap to set in place, they went to work.


	44. Chapter 44

"It's quiet today," a guard muttered from where he stood at his post to his fellow guardsman. "Then again, it's always quiet."

"Rather it be quiet than a war," the other guard smirked. At the sight an arrow suddenly launching out of nowhere to strike into the side of the wooden gate on the bridge, they quickly hustled over to see what it was. A note was attached to it. They decided to use this method instead of an undead zombie decoy. It was easier to do. "What's this now? Hmm. Lost princess. Captive. Marriage and reward if rescued?!"

"Think we should tell anyone?" the guard asked.

"Not until we know it's true. And, hey, if we save her, we can take it all, anyways, right?" the other guard smirked.

"But, only one of us can marry a princess," he frowned.

"Nah. You can have the girl, I'll take the money," the other guard grinned.

"I guess that works," he muttered. A nasty thought of taking everything had already set in. Of course, the last thing they expected was for the waiting zombie assassins in the distance. Once the two guards were taken out, Saithe resurrected them when the corpses were brought to her.

"Go back into the castle and display the find," she ordered. "The path to find me is just under half a days' ride away to the north where the mountains are. Go!"

"Yes, mistress," they both nodded and went back up from the hidden entrance a mile off from the castle gates. When they left, the labyrinth was getting a close inspection. Piles of gold were being carefully placed all around for distractions. False walls would open up to lure the adventurers even more into various dead ends with pitfalls and traps. Empty chambers were being set up with small Lairs and feeding areas for waiting monsters.

It was decided, for any that got to the middle chamber, they would find a portal. If it was activated, the Horned Reaper army would launch out to crush any in the room before retreating back. And, on a further thought, Horny decided to not have Saithe in the labyrinth at all.  _Why should she be put in a place where none were going to find her anyways?_  If anything, she would do a daily routine, or even an hourly one if Knights were seen, of running out of the cave entrance where adventurers would see her only to let Horny rush out and snatch her back up to carry her in. Then the shadows would simply take them away.

"Much safer for you this way. Rather glad that it's me that will go after you instead of Shadowsbane. He is needed to care for Dax," Horny chuckled and let her press into him while he carried her in his arms. "And did you have to wear this getup?"

"What's wrong with it? You get to rip it off me when it's over, right?" she smirked. She was dressed in a pearl-white gown with gold overtones. Of course, it was dirtied from running along the dirt path. It was also torn in a few places to make her look authentic. A slender circlet of gold and diamonds was on her brow, too.

"I'm surprised that Shade was able to hide your wings," he grinned. The dress was cleverly designed to go around the base of her demon wings. A talisman was made for her to wear that worked the spell. The pendant at her throat was a massive, thumb-sized ruby with the spell inscription on the back of it. She was very impressed. She did have the other three artifacts on her for safety, but those were cleverly hidden from sight to avoid detection. She could have simply become her human form, but Horny was against it. If something went wrong, she needed to be able to fly away at a moment's notice.

"Indeed. I could hide them away, but...why?" she chuckled.

"True. I like you better with your wings out, anyways. Hmm? What's that?" Horny muttered at a sound in the distance.

"Ah, look! The first Knight arrived! Shall we, my love?"

"Hmm..." Horny mused and set her down. When the Knight got close enough, she gave a little scream and quickly ran out. Horny snarled and ran after her with a form of joy. He actually liked running after her. It reminded him of when she first escaped him all over again in the beginning.

At the mere site of her slender, lithe figure with ebony black hair trailing behind her in a dirty gown of royal standing, the goodly Knight was already in route to help her. He stretched out his armored hand and said, "Come with me! Quickly!"

"No!" she panicked and veered away. "You'll...just use me...like the others...!"

"I'm here to rescue you!" he argued and charged his horse over to her. At the sight of the massive, red demon trailing fire now bearing down on him, the horse reared and screamed with fright. The Knight was dumped off, and his horse bolted. Now he braced himself for a fight. Horny slammed into his shield and snarled out with rage at it. Saithe huddled herself down to watch the fight with a mocked form of fascination.

"You will never touch her!" Horny slathered and blocked a sword swing with his scythe. A solid blow to the Knight's face with a neatly done left hook took the human out. Saithe looked over at Horny and watched him bring the scythe down. Then the body was neatly set up on a pike by the minions that came out. She grinned and let him scoop her up while placing his scythe on his back.

"You had me worried for a while," she chuckled.

"He had nothing on me," he grinned back and kissed her. "See anything you like on him? He does have some decent armor."

"If you remove it, get me his heart," she giggled. He grinned wickedly at her to do as she asked. This was going to be a new form of collective conquest. They would take a part of each Knight's armor to display. She would get the hearts to feast on afterwards. As they now shared the heart, she mused to herself. "How many Knights would it take for that prince to come out? Do you know?"

"Hmm..." he thought and nuzzled her. "I think it may take about ten to twenty. We'll have a nice room of trophies set up."

"Oh! We should have him go in there to see where all his Knights went! I think the main entry room would work," she beamed. That got him laughing hard. "And, you should have me in a false cage behind you. He'll never know the difference. Also, we can ensure that a blank spot on the wall can be set up just for him between all of his Knights. What do you think?"

"I have a better idea," Shade said and lopped off the dead Knight's head. "Mount this on a wall. Put the piece of armor underneath it."

"Oh. Yes. Let's," Horny grinned even wider.

"If he has a castle crest, we should include that, too," Saithe smiled. Horny continued to grin to show he approved.

"Now I'll have to send shadows to the places that were conquered just to start up this new collection," Shade sighed and laughed.

"We should. Oh. Ensure that Knight called Clyde is displayed first," Horny smirked. Saithe wrinkled her nose at it, but she knew he was right about that. Then he glanced over at another Knight coming up the path. Saithe pressed a kiss to her mate's mouth. "Ready for another round?"

"Always, my love," she giggled. The stage was reset, and she ran out with him chasing her. The Knight was killed in the end when he tried to save her. It was the most fun that Horny had in the longest time. By the time three hours passed by, there were now five Knights added to her new collection. She reclined over his shoulders and beamed at the lava guards that were stationed as odd stone sentries in the chamber she was taken to. She was set in Izaak's arms, and Horny now moved around the chamber to start organizing things.

"I need to figure out the best way to encounter that prince for when the time comes," Horny muttered. "Izaak! Stand where you think her fake cage would be."

"Yes..." the lava guard nodded and moved to a rather strategic point in the room. Horny critically studied where it stood and began to shift things around to make that appear easy to reach. It was actually extremely difficult from how the metal chairs and tables would suddenly eject spikes at random intervals when approached.

"Good. I will stand off to the side here," he mused aloud at where a pillar was. "Drizik, can you stand in front of me? I can move out from behind you as an added effect. What do you think?"

"Hmm..." the lava guard moved and stood where it was needed. It gave perfect cover for Horny. With that in place, he watched the shadows bring in various heads, armors, and other odd trophies from places that were conquered. This included the crowns from the kings that were killed.

"Is that necessary?" Saithe frowned. "That's our private collection."

"You don't want to share it?" Shade asked when he appeared.

"I'd rather not," she admitted.

"True. Humans will think they can take them," Horny thought aloud. "Unless we put them up high with no footholds."

"I don't even want that," she said. Horny now pressed his mouth to her ear to mutter softly.

"Can you only imagine the look on his face," he started and let his hot breath scorch over her skin. "when he sees how many kingdoms have been crushed from us?"

"Shadows can always take the crowns away, too, if they are threatened," Shade reminded her. "Why do you want to keep them a secret?"

"The human is going to die, anyways," Horny shrugged. "You think I would let him put his disgusting, filthy hands on our accomplishments? I think not."

"Good!" she smiled and let him take her back to their personal room. When they left, Shade was now peering in on what was happening in the castle.

"Have they returned yet?" a regal voice rang out from the throne room.

"Not yet, My Lord. Of course, they were not your personal escorts," a slender retainer wearing dark green to compliment his reddish brown hair frowned. A light sprinkling of freckles added a touch of youthfulness to the man, though he seemed to squint his light green eyes a bit to show he was at a point that he could need glasses. It was either that, or intense lack of sleep. The young man appeared to be exhausted.

"Damn..." the young man on the throne of gold and red velvet muttered. He had a head of golden blond hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a face that would be a sculptor's dream come true. "Why did Father have to leave on that hunting trip?! And the way that note appeared on an arrow? Something doesn't sound right to me."

"What do you mean?" the retainer asked. Shade now realized that this prince was a touch more intelligent than the others encountered. He was very intrigued.

"We sent in five Knights of various skills and standing. None have returned yet. I have seen the place they went to, from what the note stated while out hunting. It's not too far from us at all. They should have been back, since they left through the morning. I think it's a trap. That they're dead," the prince growled and leaned his toned, muscled form over in the throne in complete thought. "Whoever is doing this is very cunning. Far too cunning. Maybe even for me..."

"What do you suggest?"

"Hmm. Let's see how a Wizard can handle it. You know who to send," the prince nodded. The retainer bowed and left to spread the word. The moment the thin man was in a narrow hallway on his own, Shade reached out of the shadows and grabbed the man by the back of the neck with his icy touch.

"Hello..." Shade said in his sinister, dark tone. "We're going to go on a trip..."

"Ah...a demon...?! In the castle?!" the retainer panted out.

"Oh, yes..." Shade chuckled. "And I'm not the only one."

"The Knights..."

"Your prince was correct. All dead."

"Why?!"

"Why not?" Shade shrugged.

"What...will happen...to me?"

"Well...we do give choices..." he said silkily. "Mandatory ones."

"Ah!" the man seemed to whimper and was dragged into the shadows. As he was being taken to the Torture Chamber, Horny and Saithe were walking down a path arm in arm. When the retainer saw Saithe, she wasn't wearing her princess costume. She was in her armor. Horny seethed when he saw the look of desire come into the human's gaze.

"What is that for?" Saithe asked about the man.

"The prince in this castle figured out we have a trap set up. He's smart. Too smart. So, we are going to convert this lapdog to help us gain an advantage. If he dies, we can bring him back," Shade shrugged. Saithe purred with delight at that.

"Fine. Now remove that thing before I kill it!" Horny snarled at the retainer.

"You know..." Saithe mused and whispered in his ear.

"I would. But, then the Mistress would be out of a job," he smirked. Shade grinned and continued to drag the man to his new destination.

"Who...was...?" the retainer managed to strain out.

"My daughter. Don't think of trying to be with her. She'll cut out your heart and eat it right in front of you faster than you can blink," he grinned savagely.

"She's...beautiful..." he mumbled and didn't even fight Shade when he was strapped down. Shade now paused with a form of amusement.

"She knows she is. And she doesn't care. Her mate is the Horned Reaper. The large, red demon at her side. He will kill anyone and anything that touches her. Keep that in mind," Shade said in complete warning.

"If the prince saw her, he'd go mad with desire. Is she smart?"

"Too smart."

"Yeah. He'd be head over heels," the retainer seemed to chuckle.

"Well, he'd be hard pressed to try and woo her. She's only made for the demon. She detests everything else," Shade shrugged. He noticed something was off about the retainer now. The man was starting to appear overly confident about something. The man noticed the Shadow Demon pausing in thought and continued to ramble on.

"You managed to get into the castle. You need to see the hunting room. There's a trick door on the north wall. Somewhere in there, from what I can remember. Just be careful. You could get trapped."

"And...why are you being so...helpful?" Shade asked warily.

"Because your attack is pointless. The prince hunts demons for sport," the retainer said a touch bluntly. Then his eyes widened at Shade's savage, wicked grin.

"Then I hope he knows how to kill an  _army_  of demons waiting to storm his castle!" the Shadow Demon said with pure amusement. At the retainer's dropped jaw, he went on. "Yes. We have a vast militia of Horned Reapers that are quite bored. Don't worry. Your prince will never know what's coming. And you will keep the secret."

"We have a new one?" the Mistress snickered and let Daren walk over to get a soft pet to his back. At his chuckle, she looked at him. "What's so funny?"

"I know this one. He is Prince Ronan's personal assistant," Daren said. "I think the prince hunts demons for sport, but they are all lesser demons. Like the Trolls and Goblins. I doubt he's ever faced one like Horny. Even the Dark Angels here."

"Oh. For a moment, I felt impressed," Shade sighed with disappointment.

"Yeah. I saw his hunting room when he bragged to me about it. His father doesn't even know about the room," he said.

"Maybe his father should know," Shade grinned.

"No! The king will be incredibly displeased! To know that Prince Ronan is actively bringing in the corpses of demons into the castle...!" the retainer started to panic. Then he screamed when a whip lashed down. The Mistress decided to shut him up.

"Get him to convert. If he doesn't, then we'll just kill him and bring him back," Shade said and walked away. As he made his way through a hall, he paused at the sensation that he was being watched. "Whoever is there, come out. Now."

"It is I," the allied Horned Reaper grunted when he stepped forward.

"Oh, good. I was hoping to find you. You see, the prince of this land fancies himself as a demon hunter..." Shade started with a twitch of a grin.

"Does he? Interesting. Why don't we give him something to hunt?" the allied Reaper grinned savagely.

"I'm listening," Shade snickered.

"We can lure him out of the castle," he started.

"I did that with a large boar once. To separate out twin princes. The tactic worked perfectly with them. As for this situation, something tells me that this prince will know. We need to give him something to chase  _inside_  the castle," Shade said silkily.

"Oh..." the Reaper mused. "Maybe lure him into his own traps?"

"I'll see what my shadows can find. We need to have the hunter hunt himself," Shade grinned knowingly. The Horned Reaper actually found himself in complete agreement. "If he has traps all over his own home, hmm. He did say that his father was out hunting. Maybe...we can have his father become the unwitting prey..."

"Or have the father hunt down his own son if he sees the trophy room. I still want to see what that's all about," he admitted.

"Then let's take a look," Shade said and made a darker spot in the shadows to walk into for them. The allied Horned Reaper charged in first. Shade closed the portal after them both. When they were back in the marble-tiled halls, he listened in to where his shadows guided him. Another shadowy portal was made for them, and they found themselves standing in the trophy room of the castle. Various fantastic beasts were mounted on pillars. Larger trophies had their heads mounted on the walls.

"I wonder if these animals can be brought to life. Many appear to be mummified," the Reaper said on inspecting a few of the whole carcasses on display.

"That would be interesting to do," Shade mused aloud. "Saithe may be able to do something. Having a lot of undead animals that are known to sneak around and do other things would always be useful. I'm sure she would agree. Now, where is this hidden room? I was told to be wary in case of a trap. He said to the north, but I'm not sure."

"Then let's get to it," the allied Horned Reaper nodded. Shade now used the shadows to search along the floor, walls, and ceiling of the room. To their amusement, the room was hidden behind the rearing form of a fully grown, buck male lion in a fierce display.  _And it was on the northern side of the room, so the retainer did speak true._  The podium slid aside to reveal the chamber door. As a precaution, he sent the shadows in first. There was a trap set up for any that first walked in, but it was made for intruders. Not actual demons. It was easily removed, and now they looked at what was in this particular chamber. The lights were lit up to examine what was there.

"I'm not impressed," Shade smirked. The room consisted of Troll figures, weak Goblins, and a few others. One display featured a Bile Demon in a menacing pose. A few Imp heads were on the walls and in full body positions. The prince even left the carry sack, tools, and the odd gold piece in the carry sack as though to dare intruders to try and take what was there. Shade was sure the area was trapped around the small treasures.

"The only thing that's truly impressive here is the Bile Demon. All the others are nothing," the Reaper grunted. "Now...what's this?"

"Hmm?" Shade asked and walked over to the new point of interest. On a podium on its own was a cracked horn. The way it was curved and chipped gave an odd resemblance to one he knew well. The Reaper sniffed it carefully without touching it. He was grinning sadistically. He recognized the scent from the horn.

"One of our elders was fuming that he got into a fight with an ogre of some kind and lost his horn a year back. This prince must have found it and claimed it as a form of boasted bragging rights. It's only fair that our elder gets this back and reveals the truth on how it was truly lost. Don't you think?"

"You know it," Shade grinned. "Maybe he can even show off what the horn is used for. What do you think?"

"I'll put a teleport marker here in one of the torches. This room will be easy to find," the Reaper said and scratched a symbol into a hard to see spot on a small torch. Once their small trap was set, they blew out the candles to be in complete darkness. Then Shade had a wicked idea.

"I think I'm going to have a Hell Hound in here..." Shade mused. That got the allied Horned Reaper laughing. Plans would soon be made. Of course, Shade already had the king of the land being sought out. He needed to know where the man was. It helped to know exactly where all the pieces of the chessboard were currently placed. Once he had a good layout of where to place the traps, the orders would be given. Then the pieces would fall one by one.


	45. Chapter 45

The king had just removed his arrow from a trophy buck he killed when he sensed something odd all around him. The sky had just started to fully darken when he felt that something felt off. It was as though the forest had simply come to life. It was either that, or his senses were screaming at him that something had just gone horrifically wrong.

As he moved his eyes around the camp, he spotted something glinting at the edge of the brush that lined the campsite. One of the shadows put a gauntlet on the edge of the firelight. And the gauntlet belonged to one of the Knights that was killed earlier in the day. A rather respected Knight from the king's court.

"Sir Joran?!" the king gasped when he recognized the engravings on the plated armor. "And...his hand is still...in the...but...how?!"

He stood up and motioned to the few men he had as an escort. At the sight of the gruesome find, many of them were in shock. Finally an archer said, "Sire! What are we to do about this?! We need to find out who slayed him!"

"I know we do. Pack up the trophy! We need to leave now!" he ordered. "And one of you needs to send a message to Ronan! I'm coming home. I expect him ready to receive me. Go!"

"Yes, Sire!" a Knight nodded and was quick to saddle up and take off. When he was about to saddle up on his tan colored charger, he paused at the sound of a girl screaming in the distance. He had made his encampment rather close to the cave unknowingly, and Shade had convinced Horny to let Saithe run out of it.

"Just remember that I'm catching you this time," Horny smirked at her. She only kissed him passionately before he let her go to run. The king saw her run out in the distance, and he could only stand there with a form of awe. Her beauty far surpassed any that he had ever seen. He had married out of duty before, but his wife was only sub-par in her complexion _. And she had passed on._  He needed to remarry at some point, if he chose to do so. And he had completely fallen in love with Saithe.

His focus was returned to the present when Saithe purposely tripped to let Horny catch up to her and scoop her up. At the sight of Horny, he knew he couldn't appear on his own.  _I'll need back up._  When Saithe got hauled back into the cave, she started to protest at it to act out her distress, but Horny was quick to charge even further back into the cave with her. And, in the safety of the shadows, he checked over her pregnancy.

"I'm fine," she smiled. He just shook his head and carried her towards a wall. It was easier to see the mouth of the cave there and tend to her in safety. When he moved to tap on her feet, she gave a wince.

"And you injured your ankle?" he growled and pressed his wrist to her mouth. "Feed off of me and heal."

She sighed and sank her fangs into his wrist to feed. After four good swallows, she pulled back with relief. He glanced behind him from where the shadows hid them with a smirk.  _The king decided to brave the trap. He wanted to find Saithe._

"Your Majesty?" one of the Knights whispered.

"That girl...I want to find her! I must find her! But, even I know that this place is risky. I'm going to wait outside. Bring Ronan here! I will go in with him. And you have to hurry! Darkness will arrive in full, and we'll need torches for light," the king muttered. That had Saithe rather surprised. Even Horny was fully amused.

"You think he likes me?" Saithe snickered.

"He's not touching you," Horny growled and held her to his chest in a possessive way. "Let the other Reapers deal with him."

"Or," she mused. "you let him find me. Take me to the castle. I find the trophy room and the hidden room there with him..."

"I don't want to leave your side," he muttered.

"You don't have to," she smiled. "I can pretend to be too timid to allow any to touch me. If you've been chasing me all this time, I simply won't trust anyone. I can say that the people I lived with gave me up as a sacrifice. Why should I trust anyone else?"

"I can't do it," Horny sighed. "As sound a plan it is, the other Reapers out there will see you alone. They will attempt to get to you."

"So...you are concerned over me...because of them?" she frowned.

"I have to be," he said and cradled her close. "I don't think the human fools should see you ever again after this."

"I have an idea," Shade said when he appeared. "I do like Saithe's plan. Let me speak to our allied Reaper on the other side."

"Whatever," Horny grumbled. Shade vanished away to approach the Reaper he needed to see. He looked over and nodded.

"Yes?" the allied Reaper asked.

"We have a plan that would involve my daughter to be used as a distraction. Not only for the cave, but to be used as bait within the castle walls. She suggested it, but Horny is very concerned over how others will see her, if she is alone. She will fight any that attempt to try and reach her, but he will start killing others in the ranks, if she comes to harm. What she wants to do is lure the king into the unknown trophy room," Shade said calmly. The Reaper actually found himself amused at this.

"I see. Yes, many would think that she was out of place, if she was caught alone. And I'm sure that Reapers aren't the only ones, too," the allied Reaper frowned.

"And that we know of. She's pregnant again, so Horny is completely on edge."

"As he should be. If he remains close to her to step in the moment she's in any form of trouble...that will work. We will know he's right there to pull her back to his side. So, she could say that she's always hunted down. That she is the prey, and Horny could be the constant hunter from within the shadows. And, if you wanted to do this, you could send in the lava guards to ransack the place while they look for her," the Reaper grinned. "I'm sure they'd have no problem smashing open a door or two."

"Hmm. They could use a little fun," Shade grinned back. "The only question now is how will she evade Horny? The Reaper army is itching to come out."

"I have it!" the allied Reaper grinned sadistically. "The middle room with the portal. Make it a portable portal. Something that can be taken and displayed in the prince's trophy room in secret. Saithe can activate it as though in a trance..."

Shade started laughing hysterically at this.  _My daughter could lure both king and prince to the middle chamber. They may flee with her, but the prince would think the portal was the real prize to be had. He'd have to go back for it and retrieve it in secret. Then Saithe could reactivate it when it was in the castle._  "We'll do it! I can have the Trolls decorate something with gems and gold filigree to make it nice and attractive. We'll put the portal spell into the item. And we can reuse it for other missions, too."

"You make it. I'll ensure the spell works," the Reaper snickered. Shade was quick to leave and report to Horny. He was highly amused at the thought of a portable portal. Even Saithe was excited that she'd get to play as the damsel in distress again.

"I'll make sure you have direct access to her at all times," Shade nodded.

"Actually, make me an amulet that can have me become invisible for as long as I wear it. You did something for her wings. Make me something now. I won't hide in the shadows in case something does go wrong, and this will also be my way of quick appearance, if you aren't there to help," Horny grunted out. "There are other Reapers out there that want my mate. I need to make sure that I can simply appear on a whim."

"True. Okay. I'll see what I can make," Shade agreed. Horny nodded and kept Saithe cradled close to him.

"When should we let myself be found?" she asked.

"When the prince gets here. That would be the best time. You will run to the center of this cave. I'm sure you can act out something good," Shade said.

"Then you had best make that invisible charm for me now. Because, if I don't have it, she's not performing," Horny growled dangerously. Shade now vanished away to make the artifact for him. Horny appeared to look a touch irritated, but Saithe caressed his cheek gently to get him to regard her.

"I do wonder how many times you'll shove those humans away from me," she grinned wickedly. That got him grinning back. "And, if the lava guards run in to find me, too, then you know how those humans will all try and fail to stop them."

"Of course," Horny nodded. He looked over at where the king was still pacing at the entrance of the cave. He curled his lip back. He didn't like how the man was lingering. Saithe frowned and looked over now. The man had a rather heavy, solid gold circlet on that appeared to have been passed down for generations. His eyes were stormy blue in color, and his shoulder-length, blond hair was finally yielding the gray of his age. He was still well-muscled from his love of the hunt. He was still in his peak of life.

"I wonder why he likes me," Saithe mused. Horny knew that she wouldn't desire any other, but he was still very jealous.

"You. Are. Mine," Horny snarled and pressed a hot kiss to her mouth. She pressed her face into his neck when the kiss finished, and he silently turned to glare at the waiting king. He wanted to kill him already.

"I'm back. Here," Shade said and handed him a ring. Horny put it on and found himself pleasantly invisible. And, much to his surprise, Saithe was also invisible in his arms. "Good! It worked. You can touch whatever you want to let the spell encompass that, too. You could cause some serious trouble this way."

"That I can," he snickered darkly. "How far off is the prince?"

"We're in luck. He just got here," Shade chuckled.

"Go. I'll be right alongside you," Horny muttered and kissed her again. "Hmm. I don't think Shade can see us. But, I'm sure he can hear us. I wonder..."

"Hmm?" she murmured. At his soft, whispery suggestion, she had to bite down on his shoulder to keep from laughing outright.

"Ronan! There you are," the king said.

"Father, we shouldn't be here! This place is a trap!" his son argued.

"I know. But, I want to free the girl here," he said.

"But, she's the lure! She's the one that is getting them all killed!"

"Boy, don't you argue with me!" the king glared at him.

"She will kill us all!" Ronan said with a desperate plea.

"Have you seen her kill anyone yet?" he asked. At his son's small growl that there was no proof, the king nodded to him. "We are going in here and bringing her out."

"Just don't say that I didn't warn you," he said.

"I'm aware," the king muttered. Saithe was now let go to hide a bit far off. When their torches came into light, she gave a small whimper and held a hand over her eyes.

"Too bright..." she said with a soft whisper.

"Oh! It's you! The torches are bright?" the king frowned and moved to regard her. Even with the soft light of the torches, her beauty was intense. The slender circlet she wore only seemed to enhance her beauty that much more. Ronan's jaw was simply dropped with complete shock at her. Now he saw why his father wanted to rescue her. "Ronan, set the torch away from her. Now, my dear, we should go before that red demon comes back to pull you away again."

"No. You both should go. He'll just...hunt me down again...and he told me that, if I can find the center of this place...that only then would he let me go free. I've tried for so long...but..." she shivered. Now Horny grinned savagely.  _This was how they'd reach the center. She was always smarter than she seemed to be._

"You've been running around in darkness. Let our light show you the way," the king said regally and rose up. "Come now. We will free you."

"I don't know. I think it's a trap for me, too," she admitted. "I think it's why I simply avoided it and tried to flee for so long. If I found the center, I think something bad will happen. And, if I try to leave, he'll just come back to bring me back in here."

"I don't want to say this, but...very well. Let's find the center. Maybe we can get some answers," Ronan sighed. He was clearly smitten with her as much as his father was. Saithe rose up slowly in her shaky way and slowly turned. It was as though she was purposely showing off her slender, perfect figure under the torn garment she wore. It forced both men to look away at the same time.

The cave was truly made in the form of a spiral, and they made sure to have the small trophy room as one of the rooms to pass through. It was supposed to have been the entrance, but, after this turn of events, they made it one of the main room paths. The shadows were swift to change everything up while the king was waiting for his son. Saithe's jaw did a mocking drop at the sight of the gruesome trophies. In truth, she was very pleased with the layout. The king was horrified on seeing some of the armor from his best Knights hung up on the walls of the cave. Now he had to ask, "What happened?! Ronan?!"

"There was a note sent to us about this girl being in trouble. That she was a sort of princess. Even stranger was that the note was sent to us on an arrow! I tried to tell you, but you didn't listen, Father!" he said. Horny was a bit disgruntled at how information about their invasion was leaking, but was also slightly amused at future plans.  _Now I see how other Knights not from this kingdom got here. Saithe was right that any goodly idiot would come around to play the hero once they learn of something they can boast about._  His yellow glare went back to the prince. "I only sent a few Knights out, but word must have spread, somehow. Some of the armor on these others...they are from neighboring kingdoms. I had sent my retainer to fetch the Wizard to try and come here, but...now that's odd. I don't recall seeing him after sending him away!"

"Could he have sent word?" the king frowned.

"I don't think he would have. He only acts on our orders. Anyways, I'm...sorry, Father. For all of this. And you. Did you know of this?" Ronan asked Saithe.

"No! I never got this far!" she cringed. In truth, she couldn't have cared less. But, she had to stick to the acting. It paid off. They bought it.

"It's all right," the king said.

"I mean...I did see various Knights start to appear to help me, but the large demon would appear, and he...killed them all..." she trembled. "I told them to leave. That they couldn't help me..."

"So, you did warn them off?" Ronan blinked.

"I did," she nodded. "And, with them being Knights and all, of course, they refused to listen. The demon that confines me here is only getting stronger. If we plan to do something, then we need be quick."

"We'll plan a burial for them when we get back. It would be the right thing to do. Maybe we can even return here to confiscate their armor to send back to their families. But, for now, we need to find the center of this place. Let's keep moving," the king ordered lightly. Saithe cringed, but she knew that Horny was right there next to her. She may not see him, but she could smell him and sense him. He even brushed against her to let his heat bathe over her skin. If it wasn't for that contact, she would have gone crazy.

When monsters jumped out at them, Saithe would feign to panic and run ahead of them. She would wait in a fearful way for them to reach her after each battle. What she found hilarious was that the prince called himself a demon hunter.  _He could barely hold his own against a small Goblin!_

"He's pathetic!" Horny muttered in her ear. "Just keep doing what you can."

"I love you," she whispered and leaned into his invisible form.

"I love you," he rumbled back and pressed a kiss to her mouth. "I am not leaving your side. Keep up the acting."

"Are you all right?!" the king asked and ran over to her.

"I am. Sorry. I don't know how to fight...and..." she cringed.

"That little monster was nothing!" the prince boasted.

"There are larger ones here, though. That was likely a scout," she frowned.

"I'm more than ready!" he grinned.

"Ronan, killing a demon is not like hunting deer!" the king snapped at him. "It's nothing to gloat over! Now keep quiet, or you'll compromise us! We need to keep going. If we stop now, then we'll be found out."

Ronan seemed to scowl, but he listened to his father's words. Horny was just amused at all of it.  _They were already found out._  A part of him was itching to take off the ring and kill them both right then and there. But, he did want to see how everything would play out with the older man discovering the trophy room. Sometimes, even he knew it was best to wait and draw out his actions.

"I have only one question," Ronan finally said. "When we get to the center, how do we get out? I mean...we can't really go back the way we came!"

"We'll figure that out when we get there," his father said. "I would have thought you would have brought some Knights with you. The extra defense would have been useful. Then again, you were only sending them here to get slaughtered. No matter. The two of us should be more than a match for what's here! Let's go!"

They had Saithe move behind them as a form of safety. That was fine by her, as it let her enjoy the presence of her invisible mate. When a monster appeared, Horny simply gathered her up in his arms to make her invisible, too. Then he carried her off a bit of a ways away to let her go and reappear to make it seem like she ran off at the first sign of trouble. As they moved on, the monsters got larger and larger.

"Shade's been busy," Horny grinned, as he watched a Bile Demon attack them.

"I'm sure Father is having as much fun as us," she giggled. He could only nod at that. "Oh! Look at how that prince is carefully noting where things are!"

"He plans to come back here to pick up the pieces. Very well. We'll let him. The larger his 'trophy room' is, the more disgusted his father may be," Horny chuckled.

"He also seems to be learning new moves. Look at how quickly he picked up on how to maneuver around the Bile Demon! He may be better off as an undead guard for us. I wouldn't trust him turned and alive," she mused.

"Shade was right. He's very smart. We'll see what happens," he agreed. "You are nearing the center now. I want to make an appearance."

"Do you?" she smiled. At the needy kiss he gave her next, she could only swoon from it. He always got worked up when she was involved in something. It was the main reason why he agreed to let her play out this part.

"You almost lost your arm on that swing!" the king growled at his son. "I may need to have to train you to fight again."

"Father!" Ronan grimaced. "I'm doing fine!"

"You started to get sloppy in your stance, too. We'll work on that when we are done here. My dear? Ah! There you are. Come now. We can't be too far off now," he said and was quick to walk over to her.

"I'm walking ahead. I'll ensure no other attacks happen. We need to speed this up. I grow weary of not having you at my side for long," Horny growled in her ear. She nodded slightly and felt his heated skin leave her side. When the two royals approached her, she gave a fake sigh of relief. It urged them to hurry the pace.

When they reached the central room, she noticed that it was made to be like an elaborate Treasury. All of the gold and valuables were moved into this room, and the two humans could only gape with shock at the show of wealth. But, it was the small, jeweled bowl of glowing blue fire that was the true centerpiece on a standing podium of gold. The podium was fully encrusted with gems like the bowl was. Saithe seemed to blink in a false, trance-like state at the glowing fire. The prince had already noticed that the bowl was movable. True to form, he was thinking of acquiring it. When the two men saw Saithe start to walk towards the bowl to touch it, the king pulled her back to his side with a look of dread.

"No! Don't touch it!" he warned. When Horny appeared at the ring removal, both men seemed to stare with shock. Saithe gave a faint shadow of a smile, but she remained timid around them all. He decided to discard the cage idea. He didn't want her caged, anyways, even if it was fake. The four lava guards were also in the room and clearly unnoticed. They looked like room structures in each corner.

"She is destined to become one with this artifact," Horny smirked and crossed his arms over his pierced chest. "You are only delaying the inevitable."

"You don't know that!" the king growled out. Ronan was simply shaking with a form of awe and fear. He knew that this was a type of demon he simply had to try and fight. If he knew an army of Reapers was waiting to come forth, he probably would have feinted from the shock.

"But, I must admit. She did make it to the center. And, I did agree to let her go once it was done. So, I will keep to my word. However, in time, she  _will_  touch this artifact. Such a thing is something that cannot be kept from her. And, when she does, you will see me again," Horny promised with a small nod. "And, before you leave..."

"What?" the king grounded out and ensured that Saithe was kept behind him.

"The girl that you think you are protecting. She will eventually belong to me, too. You see, I've taken a...liking to her," Horny grinned wickedly. "So, wherever she goes...I may have to follow. You should have listened to the warnings. As for now, take her away. But, I  _will_  find her again. You have my word."

"Just...leave me here!" she whimpered.

"No. You will be safe with me," the king said. Now he glared at Horny and said, "As you have not attacked us, I will not attack yet, either. How are we to leave?"

"You could touch the artifact. Or, just take the door behind you," Horny smirked and disappeared with the ring. The wall had opened up behind them to show a direct path out of the cave. The humans were shocked. Saithe was pleased at the whole thing. Even as they walked out of the cave, Ronan was already making plans to return the next day after things settled out.

And yet, there was another thought in his mind. He saw how his father was rather attentive to Saithe. He didn't like that at all. He was now making plans to have her head turn towards him, instead.  _My Father is old! She needed someone young. And I need a queen for my people._  He was going to speak to his father about it later, too. It simply couldn't be helped.


	46. Chapter 46

The moment Saithe arrived at the rather grand castle, she was ushered into a room of her own. Horny was already waiting for her, and he pulled her into his arms with relief. She hated the scent of humans, and she eagerly pressed her face into his heated skin to take in his scent of brimstone and death. It was something that always calmed her. He now had a protective hand over her belly to evaluate his growing offspring. He also noticed something else. _She was feeling extremely ill..._

"You are distressed?" he asked her.

"The scent of humans. It's just...it's getting to me now," she shivered.

"I see. We'll be done with this soon enough. If I knew you were starting to crave me, I wouldn't have agreed to this. No matter. I'm here, invisible, and at your side. That's what matters now," he growled, and he cradled her to him when she started to tremble hard. "Don't worry about being fed by them. I will be the one that feeds you."

"Okay," she nodded. "How is Dax?"

"I will be constantly at your side. And Dax is doing fine. Don't worry about him. If it becomes an issue, I'll simply take you home. And...you're getting ill now...hmm. If they offer you anything to eat, I'll slap it away. They can think you're cursed until I appear with food for you to eat from my hand. I rather like that idea..." Horny mused and grinned. At her smile of approval, he nodded to her to show it would be done.

"When will the golems appear for me?" she asked.

"Sunset," he smirked. "Actually, they have been getting fairly stealthy now. Let's wait until the dead of night. They know how to keep themselves from glowing."

"That they do," she chuckled. His scent was already easing her senses. At the sound of the door opening, Horny stiffened. Then he grinned and removed the ring to make himself visible. He knew he told them that when she touched the artifact that he would appear, but she needed him now. He wasn't one to usually wait, either.

"I won't leave," he said with a wider grin on his face. At the sight of her face turning green, and that it was from the smell of the meal being brought in, he snarled. "She will not eat your filth! Leave with it before I turn and slaughter you!"

"The...the demon!" the male servant gasped. Saithe didn't say anything. She stayed focused on her mate's scent to keep herself calmed. A moment later they heard a muffled shout, and the scent of the offending food vanished away. Shade appeared to assess her right after.

"The intruder is dead. I gave the meal to the Hell Hound. Saithe? Are you well?" her father asked gently. At her shiver, he thought to himself. "It appears that this offspring is rougher than the first. You may be having a daughter this time."

"Really?" Horny mused.

"Her mother got violently ill with Saithe. I was...pleased," Shade chuckled. "In order to keep her calm, she will definitely need you around. I wonder how those humans would react, if they learned that she's with your child..."

"No!" he snapped and hissed at the Shadow Demon. "I won't have my new offspring become the target of  _them!_  I will take her away, if I must!"

"I can understand that. It was only a mild suggestion. Ah. The royals are coming by. And they seem to be arguing with each other..." Shade grinned wickedly. Horny smirked and moved to stand in the middle of the room with Saithe. He kept his back to the door on purpose to show his full intent on staying.

"Oh. Whatever happened to that prince's retainer?" she asked.

"He's working on a few things for us. He's also setting up some nice little rumors about the dungeon to bring in more competition to the outlying towns. We want more demons to get killed. We want that human prince to decorate his room with as many corpses as possible. Maybe we could ambush him on his next hunt..." Shade hinted with a grin. "Anyways, if you agree, I'll go ahead and get it done. I'll also see about something to help her with her illnesses. I can get that Priest to think of something."

"Do it," Horny nodded. Shade vanished away when the door opened. Horny still had his back turned to the door to keep his mate calmed. At the sight of Horny holding Saithe, both men paled with shock. "I told you I keep my word. I have returned for her."

"So soon?!" the king asked.

"Did you think I would really leave her alone with two humans that only want to fight over her?" he asked with a touch of disgust. "Granted, I said I would return when she touched the artifact, but I have been watching her closely. I would much rather keep her at my side than let her witness such a weak display of dominance!"

"What do you mean? Fight over her?" the king frowned.

"You're rather stupid," Horny smirked. He didn't even bother to glance over his shoulder at them. "Your son has also taken a liking to her. You haven't noticed?"

"What is this?!" the king blinked and looked at Ronan. His son remained silent. That proved that the demon was telling the truth.

"Do the two of you plan to share her?" Horny goaded.

"Never!" Ronan growled. His father had his eyes closed with a sensation of shame now. Then he simply turned to leave. "Father?"

"I will not fight with my own son over a girl. In the end, she should decide on who to be with," he said wisely.

"Shall I propose a test?" Saithe managed to speak out.

"A test?" the king paused and turned. Now Horny turned with her in his arms to regard them both. She looked weak and very weary. The king grimaced at this. Ronan could only think hard on what he could do to get her away from the powerful demon.

"This demon has truly done me no wrong. I mean, yes, I was delivered to him as a sacrifice, but he chose not to kill me. He...decided to keep me alive. I don't know why, but, for some reason, I trust him more than either of you. He has become my unwilling guardian on so many levels. So, he will continue to be my captor, as much as it pains me to say it," she sighed. In truth, she was thrilled. Horny kept his face stern, but she knew he was immensely pleased by this change.  _It would ensure that I was always at his side._  "He will keep me safe from any harm."

"A demon will protect you? From who?" Ronan asked.

"From us," the king nodded. "I understand."

"Father, there is a  _demon_  in our castle! We should kill it!" the prince growled.

"And this demon has not yet attacked us. If anything, he is keeping us from attacking each other. I know that all demons are evil. Yes, he may eventually attack us and force us to defend ourselves. Until that happens, I will be mildly tolerable, if still watchful over him. And, as for the girl, well...let's face it. If the demon kept himself from killing her, I'm sure there's a reason for it. So, we should honor this suggestion of hers as an act of trust. It would be her choice in the end. Yes, I do see her as a possible queen. A new mother to you. And don't scowl at me like that! You may be a very smart tactician, but you still have much to learn, too."

"Do not coddle me in front of her!" Ronan snapped.

"I don't even know your names," Saithe frowned.

"Oh..." Ronan seemed to pause at that.

"I am known as King Xavius the Wise around these parts. I should have introduced myself sooner, but, events do unfold oddly," the king nodded.

"I'm his son, Prince Ronan. But...Father...the demon...!" Ronan started.

"I know," Xavius muttered. "When he attacks, we will attack back. Right now, he is clearly looking out for the girl's best interests. I don't get it, either."

"She has asked me to keep the two of you unharmed. For now," Horny said calmly. "I am agreeing with this only because she vowed she would not leave my sight for the time being. I'm being tolerable, because she has asked me to be. If it wasn't for her, your blood would be decorating the walls and ceiling by now!"

"Father!" Ronan growled.

"You act more with your sword than your mind these days," Xavius reprimanded his son. "I understand we have something evil before us. But, not once has this one even attempted to outright attack us. If we attack first, then we are no better than him. Remember this, my son. It is good to look away, at first. But, the moment true steel is drawn, only then can we properly react."

"Father, you are too neutral about the situation!" Ronan argued.

"Sometimes, it is neutrality that can help you understand the situation in front of you," Xavius retorted in a calm tone. "One must see something from all angles before deciding on where and when to strike."

"He is right, you know. This demon is too strong for you," Saithe mumbled out weakly. "He would kill you with a simple flick of his wrist."

"And who would you choose to be with?" Ronan asked her.

"She mentioned a test. What test do you speak of?" the king asked.

"A small series of tests," she started.

"Father, why are we doing this again?" Ronan asked him.

"Let her speak!" his father finally scolded him.

"A test of hunting. The larger the animal, the better. It would not matter what kind. After that, a test of trust. You may be given an opportunity to do something. Would you assist? Or walk away? And, lastly, a test of courage. I'm not too sure how it may come about, but it will," she said. Horny was grinning rather wildly.  _She was likely twice as intelligent as both humans combined._

"When do the tests start?" the king asked. He had an idea of what to hunt down, but first he had to make a stop to check on something. If he had to, he could kill it, too.

"The moment you are ready," she nodded.

"Oh, um, have you eaten yet? I thought I sent a man here to deliver a meal," the prince started, but he paused at Horny's glare.

"The meals make her sick. Only I know what she can eat. So, I will feed her in secret. What she has to eat right now will make the two of you rather squeamish," the Horned Reaper grinned. Xavius looked at him with concern.

"Yes, the demon has cursed me with an odd need for a certain food and drink. It is unwise to show what it is. But, if you wish, I will tell you what I need. Bring me both the blood and the hearts of the animals you kill. It can even be any other animal you encounter. That is my current form of nourishment," she said softly. Both humans gaped with shock. Horny smirked at them when they left.

"Father, if that is what she eats now, then those Knights..." Ronan paled. Xavius glared at him to keep quiet, as they walked off.

"I figured that out the moment she said what she needed. The demon killed them and fed her human flesh. My son, I fear she may be too far gone to evil. But, no matter. She still has a very innocent sensation to her. I shall pray for the child, and I shall hope that we can lift this curse to free her from the evil that plagues her," the king sighed. "We must hurry! Even though dawn is upon us to start the day anew, we must be swift!"

 _:It will not happen. She was left as a sacrifice for darkness. The curse is now her life. The proof is there. Nothing more needs to be said.:_  A voice from the shadows lightly filtered into the king's mind to give a sensation of doubt. Shade grinned when the thought took root and spread like a wildfire. He was rather interested to see if the king would agree to turn without being killed and reborn as an undead minion.

"Father?" Ronan asked when the king paused.

"Go ahead and ready your horse. If this is a test for both of us, then we should do this separately. Go on," Xavius nodded. Right after his son left for the stables, he turned to face the empty hallway. "Who are you?! Show yourself!"

"You are fighting a losing battle..." Shade said when he stepped out of the shadows. He expertly stayed in the spots that still held the darker shadows from the sun starting to shine through the windows. Now the king paled. "And you should question yourself this. Why are so many demons able to walk freely through your grounds? Perhaps there are other things than the corpses of animals that grace your home..."

"I do not bring home things of evil!" Xavius snapped.

"Not you. But...who else would fancy himself as a hunter?" Shade grinned with a flash of white fangs. At this thought, the king felt his hands shaking with disbelief. "As we are on...temporary mutual grounds, I shall leave you be."

"Wait!" Xavius said. Shade nodded to him to continue. "If such foul things were here...where would they be?"

"Ah. Only the hunter would know that answer. Can you track the hunter in question and not get caught?" Shade asked in an even tone. Then he simply melted back into the shadows. The king was furious.

"If Ronan has been bringing demon corpses into my home...!" he fumed. Then he calmed down. "I will have to hope that he has not. But...that demon...all I heard was truth! No matter. I have an animal to hunt."

He turned and made his way briskly to the stables. He was glad he was still wearing his armors! He had a feeling that he wouldn't be getting much sleep. He already missed out on a full night's worth, as it was. As he walked, he happened upon the retainer. Now he stopped the man quickly.

"Your Majesty! It is so good to see you well," the thin man said.

"And you, too, Kodus. Please, tell me. I need to know. You always cared after Ronan in my stead during my absence. Has he been...hunting foul things and displaying them in my home?"

"Sire, you would know that, if such a thing transpired, I would be telling you post-haste! Such a thing to think about..." the retainer cringed. In truth, he had vowed to Ronan to never say anything about the new display room. Now that he had turned from the Mistress's cruel whip, he was doing his job even further. But, this was King Xavius. The king sensed that something was wrong.

"Kodus. Are you sure?" he asked carefully.

"Have I ever lied to you, My Lord?" the man asked back. The king dropped his guard, sighed, and patted his shoulder.

"That you have not. For a moment, I sensed a form of doubt," Xavius admitted.

"In truth, it is lack of sleep. I've been trying to send warnings not to approach the cave in our midst. I feel as though I hadn't slept for days on end!" the retainer grumbled.

"I can understand that! Oh. Can you answer one other thing for me?"

"Surely, Your Majesty."

"Ronan said he sent you away to fetch the Wizard. Then you went missing. What happened to you?"

"It is true, he sent me to fetch the Wizard. But, after all the Knights sent and being killed off, I simply couldn't allow the Wizard in our home to meet the same fate! I would never willingly go and not follow an order. I felt that our prince was being a touch irrational. The Wizard had never met with me, and I did not want to incur on our prince's wrath for not heeding his order. I spent the time secluded to send out messages to steer clear from our kingdom for now."

"Good man. I don't want any more needless deaths, either," Xavius nodded. "Go and rest up. I may have need of you again, and I need you at your very best."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Kodus nodded. When he walked off, the retainer turned to see Shade appearing with a rather wide grin.

"Good job. Very good job. If you continue to prove yourself, I shall ensure you become the Priest's assistant in our fold. You'll get paid, be well-fed, and not have to deal with all of this...royalty garbage."

"I was against all of this," Kodus sighed. "But...the Priest came to me and spoke with me when the Mistress was away. He told me how things are here in the darkness. And it appealed to me. My family line has always served the most powerful and upholding in any land. Of course, they served the light instead of the dark. I do have other kin that serve in various places, but not one that has ever served...for the darker side. It made me wonder..."

"You know," Shade mused and shielded them with shadow to converse discreetly. "I did have an idea. I wanted to see if a king would willingly turn to our side. So far, we've just been killing them and bringing them back to life. I'd like to see one actually agree to join us without torture or manipulation. It would be a rather interesting feat."

"To just...join with their own freedom of will? It would take a lot to do."

"Exactly," Shade nodded. "I do have a queen that has joined us. She took a bit of a liking to me. As for a king, yes. I want to see if it's possible. And, unlike the others that this king has dealt with, we have been keeping our word."

"He would have to find it in his own best interest to join..."

"And should he see that hidden trophy room..."

"I fear that would do it," Kodus sighed wearily. "I would never openly support it, but I will not go back on my own word. I see a rare form of understanding with your darkness. It was why I gave in. I was able to see more than what was being shown. King Xavius needs to see that, too. I'm sure he will. But, I don't believe I would serve under him again unless I was directed to do so."

"No need for that. We may have you as someone on the side as someone he can rely on in the background. But, that may be all," Shade said calmly. "Now go and rest. Ah. What is this Wizard all about?"

"He specializes in vast alchemical potions and concoctions. He tends to have a potion ready for any situation. I'm...honestly unsure what he would have ready at hand for such a thing. He's best with healing potions and such. More like a Priest than a Wizard, but he knows both fields rather well. He's an oddity for sure," Kodus said.

"He sounds like one we need to acquire for ourselves. Good to know," Shade said and released the man from the darkened void. Kodus nodded slightly and moved to his quarters to finally get some rest. However, instead of Shade going straight to the Wizard, he went to find Horny. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Hmm?" the demon snorted with his eyes closed. Saithe was finally sleeping in his arms, and he was sitting in a plain chair made of steel. One of the shadows had found it for him.

"There is a Wizard here, but I will not openly approach him for safety," Shade started. Horny now looked at him with a burning yellow eye.

"We have another that can assist. I'm caring for my mate. Go bug that one," he grunted and now ignored the Shadow Demon.

"That's what I thought. I just had to make sure," Shade chuckled and left to find the allied Horned Reaper. "We need to recruit someone. It's a...tricky situation."

"Do tell," the Reaper nodded.

"I really want to see if we can get a king to convert to our cause of his own free will. I believe the king here can turn with some gentle persuasion. He's...different from the others I've encountered. Saithe has both the king and his son running a set of tests. A bit different from our own strategic advancements, but it is pitting father against son. I also hinted to him of the unique trophy room hidden in his home. The more honesty we give him, the more desirable his want to join us will be. Sometimes the 'proper' side just doesn't give enough need for the situation at hand."

"Does Saithe still plan to touch the portal?"

"She does. Her pregnancy appears to have taken a slight turn for the worse, though. She may be bearing Horny a daughter."

"That's unheard of! There has never been a female Reaper before!"

"Not a pureblood Reaper. Remember that."

"True. Hmm. It has me curious now. Nevertheless, you mentioned a Wizard. I'll test this one," the Reaper grinned wickedly. Shade nodded and led the demon through the castle swiftly with his shadows. He could have asked Orphek for assistance, but he didn't want the Keeper to be involved. The Dark Angel was clearly the Keeper's pet minion right now, and he liked to keep things a bit under wraps. When they got outside the doorway, they paused at the conversation being held.

"Are you serious, Azman?! You're telling me that you never saw Kodus?!" Ronan gasped. "Surely you jest!"

"If I did, you know I would have reported to you!" the wizened voice seemed to wheeze out. "I'm sorry, my young prince. Kodus never came to me."

"Damn him! I have to get back to the stables where Father is waiting for me. Do you have anything for me at all?"

"I gave you a sleeping tonic for any beast that gets within ten feet of you. Just smash the small jar, but hold your breath! You can also succumb to the vapors. Also remember that the vapors only keep something asleep for a good five minutes. It will be plenty of time for you to kill something, but it could also be the other way around. And, I do wish you'd stop referring to me as a Wizard."

"Not many use alchemy as a useful tool. Just be glad that I convinced my Father to let you stay all those years back when the illness hit us," Ronan muttered.

"As you so gracefully remind me," the man rolled his light green eyes. Ronan sighed and left after that. When the old man went back to his book, he suddenly looked up to see the allied Horned Reaper charge in with a grin. The man simply went slack-jawed with complete shock.

"Hmm. What have we here?" the allied Reaper grinned sadistically. "Don't worry. I'll only attack if you do. I'm only here to...chat."

"Chat? Oh! To talk? Well...erm..." he seemed to shiver.

"Exactly how famous of a Wizard are you?" the Reaper asked.

"Oh, I'm not a Wizard. I'm just a meddler with potions and such. No, I'm nothing important at all..." the man seemed to whimper and tug a bit at the stray lock of gray fluff he called his hair. He seemed to have the hairstyle of one that liked to play with static electricity on a regular basis. His eyebrows were as bushy as they could possibly be, and they were currently narrowed with intense thought of fright. A large, bushy mustache settled under his rather large nose a bit comically to complete his elderly features. Other than the white robe he wore that was slightly stained with the odd bit of plant juice from his potions, he looked rather frail.

"Apparently, you are. You can make some rather interesting items. So, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is you work with us willingly. The second option is a lot more fun..." the allied Reaper grinned even wider.

"My allegiance is to the Crown and kingdom!" Azman managed to say defiantly. Then he shouted when Shade appeared behind him to drag him down into the depths of the shadows. He would be easy to turn. When Shade came back, he was quick to start going over what was in the room.

"Some of these components are quite rare!" the Shadow Demon mused. "Feel free to head out and see what that prince is up to. My shadows will take you to him and let you watch over him from the shadows. I'll also pay close attention in case you need any form of assistance."

"Good. I'll do that now," the Reaper agreed and was quick to head out. What he found was highly amusing when he found the prince. It also gave him an idea.

"Father is out hunting something. While he's distracted, I'm going to bring this home!" Ronan grinned and moved to the central room in the cave. The shadows had secretly ensured that he would be able to grab whatever he wanted to take back, but he was after the main prize first. He wanted to secure it before claiming the rest of the items of value, as well as the vile corpses from his earlier battles.

The allied Reaper watched the prince manage to carefully lift the bowl of blue flame rather easily. Of course, now he had the challenge of carrying it back. It wasn't exactly a small bowl, and the flames seemed to be on a sheen of water. If the bowl tilted, the precious liquid may spill. Then the Reaper had an idea and walked up to the prince to reveal himself. "I see you have a bit of a handful there, boy. Perhaps you should set it down before you hurt yourself?"

"What?!" Ronan gaped at the massive demon. "Are you...did you leave her alone? How did you get here?"

"You think there is only one of us in existence?" the Reaper grinned wickedly. "Oh, how you are so sorely mistaken! But, he is the only one that she trusts. I'm fine with it. I was just wondering about you, really."

"What about me?" the prince asked warily.

"Your father is starting to suspect that you are holding a very intense secret in the castle. And, should he see the artifact you now hold in your hands, I'm sure he would become exceptionally concerned."

"Well...how am I to conceal it?" he frowned.

"I do have a way. But...then you would owe me a favor in return. Are you willing to take that chance?" the allied Reaper grinned a bit more.

"To do that would be to open myself up to harm!" the prince growled and trudged past him. He felt the demon's intensely burning yellow glare at his back the whole time.

"What are you doing?" Shade asked in a hushed whisper.

"Forcing the young idiot to make a choice. To accept help from me in order to owe me a favor in return," the Reaper muttered.

"I know how to fix this," Shade snickered and vanished away. He waited until there was enough shade from the trees around them before stepping into his path. The prince's horse was just up ahead, and Shade neatly blocked the path to the dark brown stallion. The sun wasn't fully out, either, so he was able to appear like this without being harmed. Now the prince just stared at the Shadow Demon with horror. "Hello. I want to talk to you. If you refuse, then I'll simply have some friends appear to change your mind. All I have to do is simply...snap my fingers. Will you hear me out?"

"It's daylight! Demons like you can't be here!" he argued.

"Nonsense! We can appear in day or night. Night is just better for us. It's easier to catch humans when they're sleeping," Shade shrugged and flexed his wings.

"I really need to get to my horse..."

"With that artifact? You'll spill it. Then where will that leave you? I know a faster route, and you'd even come back here when you're done. I'm sure the Horned Reaper mentioned it. I just decided to...assist a bit more," Shade said mildly.

"And I'd owe you a favor? No. I'm fine. Just get out of my way," the prince growled out. At this, Shade only grinned.

"I'm a demon. I can only choose to be neutral for so long. And horseflesh can be rather tasty if cooked in certain ways. Same with human flesh," he chuckled. The prince's jaw dropped. "So, if you value your horse and your life, you will take my offer."

"A mandatory choice?! I think not! Ugh!" the man grimaced and managed to put down the bowl. Then he scooped it back up when the shadows moved to claim it to return it to where is used to rest. "That's not fair!"

"I don't play fair. You should know that by now. And, you are stealing something from me. So, why should I care about you? Yes, that bowl is mine. I see you as a thief. Want to change my mind about wanting to kill you? Take my offer of help and owe me something in return. My favor may be kinder compared to the other's offer. Make your choice," Shade now said and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"Just let me get to my horse!"

"And you will end up jostling the bowl and losing its contents. Make. Your. Choice. You have no other options with me."

"Ah!" he gasped and looked away with a heavy frown. "What would your favor be? I have no choice in this. I see that now."

"Good. I'm glad you finally saw reason," Shade smirked. "My favor to you is simple. You are to do whatever the other Reaper commands you to do."

"WHAT?!" Ronan gaped. Now the allied Reaper charged forth through the shadows with a massive grin on his face.

"Here is what you are to do. Take the artifact in your hands to the castle and set it up in secret as you planned to do. But, when the time comes for the girl to touch it, you are to keep any and all from intervening," the red demon ordered.

"Walk through the shadows. They will take you where you want to go. When you are done, just walk back into them. You'll come back here and continue on your quest for hunting. Hurry now!" Shade urged with a small gesture with his hand to move on through the shadows.

"I can't believe I'm doing this!" Ronan sighed hard and found himself doing what Shade told him to do. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him that what he was doing was just plain wrong the moment he stepped foot into the shadows. He felt his skin crawl when the darkness washed over his skin with a velvety embrace. He even paused when he found himself in the hidden trophy room with just a few steps of walking. For some strange, unquestionable reason, he found himself giddy with excitement now.

"Amazing..." he whispered to himself and set the bowl down. Now he was able to fix up a small table to display the awesome artifact, and then he turned to where the shadows were the darkest in the room. He steeled himself and walked right into them. Once again, he ground his teeth to brave the shadowy touch of the dark portal, but, for some reason, it didn't feel so bad now.  _Why was that?_  When he came out of it, he found himself standing by his horse.  _The demons were gone._  Or so he thought, as he couldn't see them hidden away in the distance. He was a touch shaken, but he mounted up and was quick to get right to the hunt.

"Did you notice that he seemed rather...comfortable...walking through the shadows?" the allied Reaper mused.

"Oh? Did he?" Shade seemed to grin.

"He did. I have to wonder if he would willingly turn, too..."

"That would be hilarious! I'll have to bring that up to Horny."

"What do you think he'll hunt?" the allied Reaper asked Shade in the safety of the shadows. "There really isn't much here of a challenge."

"I know a pack of wolves are in the mountainous regions. There's also a few large bears that have been roaming around. It does appear to be around the fall season, so they are out and about. Hmm. The shadows tell me that the king is looking for a dire wolf. That beast is prowling about the western part of the forests. The prince seems to be going for the largest bear. A dire wolf is far more of a worthy prey than a bear."

"Can we reach the wolf first?"

"We can. You want to go?"

"Right now. I have an idea."

"Very well," Shade nodded and let the shadows take them to where the dire wolf's den was. The giant wolf was sleeping deeply in the cave, and they had no plans to wake it up. "What is your idea?"

"To offer my heart in the beast's stead," the Reaper smirked.

"You. Are. Mad. I will  _never_  allow my daughter to eat the heart of another demon! Much less another Reaper's! Destroy that thought right now!" Shade glowered.

"Why not? Don't hearts give her power?" he asked.

"It's different. Shadow cannot consume shadow. She can only consume light. You don't have that. Why else do we give her the hearts of animals and humans? Granted, she can drink Horny's blood, but that's just blood. An actual heart would be too much. It's too different and hard to explain. So, don't think of offering her any demon hearts. What other idea did you have?"

"This was it. But, a dire wolf could be a useful ally on the surface. I said I wasn't planning on waking it up, but why not? It deserves a fighting chance," the Reaper nodded. Shade agreed with that and was quick to send in a shadow. The animal that charged out at the disturbance had them pause with surprise. The dire wolf was a stark white in coloring with bright blue eyes. It almost had a rather handsome look to it.

"You are very different. Aren't you? And you're a large male," Shade mused. The beast snarled and hunkered down to attack. Then he paused with a form of realization once the sleep finally left his eyes. The scents also confirmed what the dire wolf was thinking. Shade readied himself, too, but then he paused.  _This animal is incredibly intelligent. The dire wolf recognized that we aren't humans. That we were possible allies..._

"You're not even a dire wolf!" the allied Reaper mused.

"No. That beast is not any form of animal. It is a demon wrapped in the flesh of an animal," Xavius said when he walked over to them. He left his horse a bit of a ways away. The animal would have spooked around the large wolf. "I knew it was a matter of time before you found this abomination. My ancestor bound it down long ago. It was a family tradition to ensure it was always chained to a mortal form. My son has yet to learn of this. I feel he is simply not ready. And, from what I've been feeling from these turn of events, I doubt he ever will be. I may as well be the last guardian of this demon. I don't know what will happen when I pass."

"Or..." Shade said thoughtfully. "you could turn this demon over to us..."

"No!" he said quickly. "I'd rather join you first before doing that!"

"Or you join us with the demon. You can still guard over it easily," the Reaper grinned. Now Xavius seemed to stammer at the thought.

"A king and his demon. I think it would work," Shade mused. The dire wolf now looked insulted. That only proved even further that it was more than just a wolf.

"Madness! Utter madness!" the king shivered. At the same time, he knew that this terrible secret was found. If he wanted to keep the ability on having the demon contained, he would have no choice.  _I'd have to turn sides._  The truth seared him from the inside out. "Tell me just one thing."

"Of course," Shade nodded.

"The girl. She's lost to the light, isn't she?" he asked.

"The girl's name is Saithe. She's my daughter. Because of that alone, she was never part of the light to begin with," Shade grinned. Now the king's jaw dropped. "The Horned Reaper that guards her is actually her mate. She's pregnant with his second offspring. I'm very surprised that he hasn't skewered anyone on sight, but he's on a temporary form of leniency. If you think it's all a trap, well...you're right."

"I knew it was a trap the moment I saw her running from the cave. I also knew it was my downfall when I fell in love with her. I know she is forever out of reach, though I still vie for her affections. A fool's choice, of course. I knew this in my heart. But, I am also the ruler of a dying kingdom. It was dying the moment this demon was trapped in a wolf's fur.

"A curse was set on my lands that day two centuries ago, and part of the curse that caused my kingdom to fail was placed on the day it happened. The failure was that it would become lost in time and never recover to the full glory it once was. All trade started to diminish. People and followers left. The only way we feed ourselves is by hunting and local farming. We don't have that many here, if you haven't noticed. We barely have anything left in the coffers! Of course, if the demon is free, the curse would lift. But, I just cannot let that happen at any cost," Xavius explained.

"What all did this demon do?" the allied Reaper asked.

"My lineage isn't exactly pure. This demon saw to that with one of my ancestors. The demon blood he mixed in my line has been slowly dwindling. But, as this nature of evil is family, I cannot kill him. I'm sure you noticed that I have been talking more than acting towards you? It's because I feel kinship with you. From him. My son...I know he is enamored with demons. I tried so hard to steer him away! As long as he kills them and leaves them where they are..." the king sighed. Shade was biting his knuckles to keep down the laughter. He now recognized the demon.

 _The demon trapped in the wolf's body was an Incubus._  A very rare demon to them, but, if he ever got out, Horny would be slaughtering him on sight. Saithe would be compromised, but her heart would never stray from Horny's dark, bloodthirsty side. At the same time, a demon never encountered would always be something to be wary of.

"The demon's blood is definitely dwindling. I would have caught the scent easily by now, but it's lost. However..." the allied Reaper said and moved close to sniff. "Ah. There it is. You have to get in extremely close to get it. Interesting. You have the scent of a demon that I would have rarely seen!"

"Incubus, right?" Shade grinned.

"How did you know?" the demon asked. The dire wolf perked his ears up now.

"Only an Incubus would be stupid enough to mingle with humans. Much less royal ones," Shade smirked. The demon wolf had his ears back, but he was also looking away, too. Now the Shadow Demon looked at the allied Reaper. "Help the king find a good heart for my daughter. He needs to pass her little tests."

"Wait. She is alone now?" Xavius asked on noticing the red demon before him.

"No. He is with her. I'm just another of his kind," the allied Reaper smirked.

"Oh. This could bode ill, if there is more than one..." the king winced.

"Very ill, indeed. And what will you do?" he asked Shade.

"I'm going to have a chat," Shade said and looked at the demon in wolf's clothing. The allied Reaper grinned and nodded to the king to move on. Once they were gone, and safely out of earshot, the Shadow Demon gave a glare. "Drop the charade. You could have escaped any time you wanted. Why didn't you?"

"Saw right through it?" the wolf seemed to grin before the fur dropped away. The form that emerged was tall, lean, and well-muscled. A set of large, bat-like wings of a blue-black coloring stretched out and resettled along his back. Glowing blue eyes seemed to wink at Shade from a clean-shaven, handsome face. Small, curved horns were on his forehead, and they held back his long, black hair neatly from the widow-peak that was there. His ears were slightly pointed, and he bore the usual fangs in his velvety mouth, but below his waist showed more of his demonic nature. Hoofed feet, a whip-like tail, and dark, blue-black fur over his legs would always betray his true being.

"Not bad. I'd say you have a mix of Shadow Demon," Shade chuckled.

"I've been commented on that. Not sure myself, though. Could be the hair. Only thing I can think of," the Incubus shrugged and waved a clawed hand. His voice sounded smooth and coated over with honey, but it also had a venomous tone. "The name's Leegaronis. You can call me Lee."

"The name is Shade," he nodded.

"Shade?  _The_  Shade that bore a female daughter?! Wow! Yeah, I still hear the news when I can. Ah, I get to meet her, right?" he asked with sly smile.

"If you do, you'd better be prepared for the Horned Reaper that mated her. He never leaves her side. Anyways, why did you stay if you can come and go as you please?" Shade asked and leaned against a tree.

"Boredom, really. It was kinda fun letting them think they had me by a furry scruff. And the curse? Yeah. That's real. But, if this kingdom is gonna turn to our favor, I can lift it. It is turning, right?"

"Well, we want the king to willingly turn first before that. So, you'll still have to play the part of being the enchanted dog for a bit longer. Saithe has both the king and his son doing random tests. They won't do anything, but do be aware. An army of Reapers plans to come through a special portal to overrun the place. Of course, that's  _if_  they refuse our little offer."

"Excellent!" the Incubus crowed out laughter in his sultry voice. "I am so glad I stuck around for this! Okay. I can play out as the pooch for a bit longer. I'm fine with that. I do have to wonder what she looks like, though," Lee sighed.

"The shadows tell me we are alone. We'll have roughly ten minutes. Fine. Hide the fur and follow me," Shade smiled lightly. Lee giggled and did just that. When they arrived in the room that Saithe and Horny were in, the Incubus went slack-jawed at Saithe's inhuman beauty.

"Father?" Saithe frowned. She was wide awake for now.

"Saithe, this is Leegaronis. He's an Incubus. Rather unheard of around our parts, but he played a joke on the kingdom. The king and his son have demon blood in their veins," Shade grinned wickedly. "They've been slowly breeding it out."

"Interesting," Horny smirked. Then he glared hard at Lee. "Saithe is my mate. Mine. If you approach her, I will not hesitate to slaughter you!"

"I understand..." the Incubus gave a mild nod. Saithe looked over at him, shook her head, and snuggled into Horny's chest. That actually irked Lee.  _No female ever gave me a look of disinterest before!_

"If the king has demon blood, we should coax it out," Horny suggested.

"That could work. But, how?" Shade asked.

"Let him do the tests first. It will give us time for an idea," Saithe smiled at her mate. Horny nodded back to her. Lee was being purposely ignored by Horny and Saithe.

"You'd better get back," Shade said to the Incubus. "We are running out of time. We need to keep with appearances, as we agreed."

"Now hold on!" Lee muttered out.

"Leave. Now. Or die. Your choice," Horny warned with a savage hiss. It sent a set of chills down Lee's spine. He wasn't used to being ordered around in this way. He clearly didn't like it. He didn't like being ignored, either. Horny was clearly older than him, and now he was experiencing what it was like to be bullied. He didn't like being on the short end of the stick. He was now planning to be a bit of a pest. Even as he slipped the wolf fur back on when he got back to the cave, he was bound and determined to be noticed. And he didn't care how it was going to be done.


	47. Chapter 47

It took the rest of the day to hunt down the beasts the royalty figures needed. But, near the middle of the day, Saithe got incredibly ill to the point that she couldn't keep anything down. The moment this happened, Izaak glanced up from where it was standing with the others in the cave.

 _:Did you feel that?!:_  it asked its brothers.

 _:Yes. Our mistress is suffering. We must go to her.:_  Uzok urged.

 _:How should we leave?:_  Erizus asked.

 _:How else should we? We will walk out.:_  Drizik said and began to move.  _:I don't care if I am seen. She needs our protection. We should not have remained here for so long. We should have left when she did.:_

 _:I know, but we were under orders. You are right, though. Let's go to her now.:_  Izaak nodded, and the four of them moved as one. The moment they cleared the cave to reach the opening, Shade appeared a bit far off in the shadows.

"What are you all doing?" he asked.

"She...suffers," Izaak said in its grating tone. "We...must...guard...her."

"Ah. It's her pregnancy, but, yes, you are quite correct. Considering that there is an Incubus that has taken a liking to her..." Shade mused. Now the four lava golems started to quicken the pace. Shade stopped them with a few shadows. "Let me make it easier for you. Walk into my shadows over here. I'll take you straight to her."

The lava golems now charged over to him and got teleported into her chamber. Horny seemed to nod at them and watched how they now moved to stand in the room silently. Saithe was just a shivering mess of tears and misery. Then she retched again from another hard kick she was given.

"I'm here!" the Priest said and moved to evaluate her. "This offspring is quite intense, isn't it? Everything I tried to give her before hasn't worked. Oh...hmm..."

"Yes?" Horny growled and tried to comfort his mate the best he could.

"Kodus may be able to help us here. He did show some insight on various things. It was as though he could sense things that were wrong. It's how his family became so adept with royalty and serving them. Can I bring him here?" he asked.

"I'll be watching him," Shade nodded when he appeared.

"Fine..." Horny grunted. The Priest nodded and had Shade retrieve the young man. When Kodus came into the room, he paused at the sight of the lava golems when they glared at him with a sensation of mistrust.

"Kodus, Saithe is very ill from her pregnancy. Do you know anything?" the Priest asked lightly. The retainer regained his wits and moved to Saithe's side. He studied her silently.

"She's wincing. Hmm. Oh! Can we cover up the windows? I think it's the sunlight," he suggested. Shade was quick to do that. Instant relief showed on her face. "And she's shivering. Likely cold."

"Cold? How the Hell can she be cold?!" Horny snarled at him. "I give her plenty of heat!"

"I wouldn't doubt it, but I think she needs a form of direct contact. Tell me. How do you normally help her calm down? When she's ill from a pregnancy?" Kodus asked.

"I put my hand on her like this," Horny said and placed his large hand over her womb. That had her give a small cry of complete relief.

"Don't move your hand," Kodus warned. Now Horny blinked at him with a bit of surprise. "It appears to soothe her and the growing baby."

"Interesting to know," Shade mused. "Can you sense anything else?"

"It may be safe to feed her now. As long as he keeps his hand on her, and she's away from sunlight, she should do much better. I would advise some form of a broth. She could also try and eat a little ginger root. That would help with the nausea."

"Which means I'd have to eat it and let her drink my blood to get the effect. She can only drink blood. Anything else makes her vomit," Horny snorted.

"I can't...do this..." she whimpered and clung to him. "I don't...want to be here...anymore..."

"Saithe?" Horny frowned and pulled her up a bit to let her press into his neck.

"Everything...makes me sick now..." she shivered. "I just...I can't..."

"I'm taking her home," he growled and rose up with her.

"What of the royals?" Shade asked.

"Fuck them. Do whatever you want. She can't focus. She can't eat. She can't do anything. So, I'm leaving with her. The sun makes her sick. Everything makes her sick. So, we're done," he growled and simply left with her through the shadows. The lava guards were quick to follow. When he was in that overly protective mood, there was simply no way to reason with him. Shade knew it was inevitable, and even he was ready to order her to leave the surface world.  _She was truly having a daughter. Her mother had the same exact reactions to sunlight and other things._

"What...?" Kodus frowned.

"The demon is her husband," Shade shrugged. "He wasn't only her captor. He truly was protecting her against everyone."

"Oh...!" he gaped.

"You didn't know? I thought you were informed," the Shadow Demon frowned.

"I didn't put it all together. Exhaustion, as always. I knew she was pregnant from him, but..." he admitted. "So, what do we do now with all of this?"

"I'm here to sort of...step in," Orphek said when he appeared. "I will help clear the air and hasten things along."

"I do think it's time that there was a family reunion, anyways," Shade shrugged.

"What?" Kodus frowned. The Priest gave a small smile and left quickly. He had to ensure he had something for Saithe to help her. Kodus gave him a nice idea with the ginger root, and he had to test it with Horny.

"What do you know about the dire wolf?" Shade asked him.

"What dire wolf?" Kodus frowned. Now the Shadow Demon grinned and educated him. The retainer was shocked.

"So, in a sense, you were serving evil all this time," he grinned a bit more.

"It would appear to be so!" the young man said with complete surprise. "Now that I think about it...it does make sense..."

"What does?" Orphek asked.

"Well, Prince Ronan always found himself moving back into his trophy room. It was as though he felt...more 'at home' there. He never really said anything to me about it, but I did find it odd to see him moving out of there with a blanket and a pillow at one point. When I questioned him, he said he had to be in there, as he thought he heard that someone wanted to find the room," Kodus explained. "He claimed he was protecting it."

"The evil in his blood wanted to be around evil more than light," Shade mused. "Even when he walked through my shadows, he felt at ease. At first, no, he didn't. The second time, though..."

"So, he's already one of us. As well as his father. Interesting," Orphek chuckled. When the allied Reaper came into the room, he paused at how Saithe was missing. On filling him in now, he was quite alarmed.

"Who is going to summon the army?" he asked.

"I don't think it's going to be summoned. But, the horn should be reclaimed," Shade said. "You can change up your favor with the prince."

"True. I'll find him now," he grinned and walked off into the shadows. It was easy to find him. He knew what form of scent to search for. He oddly found it a bit strong in the prince, but it was likely from being around evil.  _Even if it was dead bodies, it still counted._

"There you are..." the prince mumbled and took out a crossbow. He was aiming for the largest bear he could find. The only problem was that his cover wasn't very good. The wind was also starting to shift.

"Go to the front of it," the Reaper muttered behind him. Prince Ronan's jaw dropped, and he almost fully blew his cover, but he glanced over with irritation. "Trust me. I know how to hunt very well. The wind is shifting. Yes, you'll be in the wind's direction to the beast, but there is enough foliage here to cover your scent. It's also too busy eating. Move to the front of it and fire your weapon right between the eyes. The kill will be successful."

"And if it fails?" Ronan grunted.

"I'll help you track it down again. Easily," he smirked. The prince gave a bit of an eye-roll, but he crept towards the front of the grazing beast. It was feasting on autumn berries and was paying no attention at all. It was quickest kill he ever made.

"I need to get this back home," the prince said and began to truss it up to his horse. At this, the allied Reaper simply called for Shade.

"This needs to go back," the Reaper smirked.

"Sure," Shade nodded and let the shadows help take it back to the castle.

"I didn't ask for help!" the prince gaped.

"We know. We help family," the Shadow Demon shrugged and vanished away.

"As for my favor, don't worry about it. There has been a change in plans," the allied Reaper nodded to him.

"Wait...family? What?!" Prince Ronan gaped again.

"You need to talk to your father," the Reaper said calmly. "Tell me. Do you feel any form of malice towards me? At all?"

"I...well..." he frowned and looked away.

"You don't. Do you? You never did," the Reaper smirked. "Sure, because I'm a demon, you feel the need to get rid of me. At the same time, you don't. And, so you know, we all know about your little...treasure room."

"What?" the prince blinked.

"It's not that you were only hunting them for sport. You also saw them as companions, right?" he grinned. "As though you wanted to be among them?"

"I have to butcher up that kill," the prince seemed to glower and moved towards his horse. Now the demon moved in front of him to stop him.

"I am changing my favor. You and I must talk. Now," he glared with his intensely glowing yellow eyes.

"Ah, no. Your favor was to keep anyone away that would keep the girl from touching the bowl!" Ronan snapped. "That is our agreement!"

"She is no longer here," the allied Reaper said and crossed his arms over his pierced chest. "She was taken away. Her pregnancy got the better of her."

"Pregnancy?! What are you talking about?"

"That princess is not a princess at all. She's one of us. You were right in thinking that everything was a trap from the start. The demon that protected her was doing so for a reason. He is also her mate."

"Are you joking?!"

"Would I be telling you this freely, if I was?"

"How am I to tell?!"

"Evil knows when other evil is telling the truth."

"I am not evil!"

"You may not be. But...your blood says so otherwise," the Reaper now said lightly. At this, the prince seemed to pale. Then he heard a chilling howl in the distance. But, it didn't cause any fear in him. Instead, it seemed to call him...

"What's that sound?" he asked.

"Go and find out," the demon grinned and walked back into the shadows. The prince swallowed and seemed to frown. He knew his father was right on dealing with these demons.  _As much as I say I want to attack them, I really don't._  He heard the howl again, and he noticed his horse was on edge.  _I can ride up to the sound, but I can't bring the horse the rest of the way._  He sighed hard and found himself doing just that. When the animal began to get skittish, he dismounted and tethered the beast to a small tree. He began to walk over cautiously.

That was when Shade sent over a shadow to spook the horse to kick out. One of the hooves struck the prince in the back of the leg. Now that his leg was broken, he fell to the ground in severe pain. Crying out his agony, he struggled to regain his focus.

"Heal yourself."

"Huh?!" he blinked through the pain and saw himself staring at the largest wolf he had ever seen. Shade and Lee both agreed that an accident had to happen. It would fully prove to the prince as to what he truly was.

"You can do it. All of my descendants can. It's in the blood," the dire wolf said calmly and sat down in front of him. The white sheen of his coat simply added to the mystic wonder of his bright blue eyes.

"I'm...part wolf?" the prince asked before cringing from the pain again.

"No, you idiot! We can talk after you heal yourself. Focus on the bone. Feel out the pain. Reconstruct it. You can do this," the dire wolf urged again.

"But..." he seemed to whimper.

"Oh, shut up and do it!" the dire wolf snarled at him. "You've done it before without realizing it! Don't overthink it! Just get it done!"

"I...I did?!" the prince tried to remember.

"You fell off your horse a year ago when you were riding around my domain. You broke your arm. You healed yourself within three days just by thinking that you needed to get back in the saddle. You weren't fully thinking about healing yourself, so it was a slow mend. You still baffled local healers at how fast you healed. But...your father knew about it," the dire wolf said slyly. "So, think about healing yourself. Do it now. Stop delaying it."

"How did you know about that?!" he demanded.

"Blood relatives know. We are linked. So, once again, heal yourself," the dire wolf ordered and glared at the prince. The man panted, but he closed his eyes. Now he felt out the pain. He found the shattered bone. On thinking of mending it, he felt it slowly pull back together.

It took an excruciating hour, but it was soon done. Just a bit of bruising was left, but that was easy to work with. After another ten minutes, he was whole again. He was in complete shock. Now he looked at the dire wolf. "How are we related?"

"There's supposed to be a curse on me to keep me in this form. I cursed these lands in retaliation. The only way for me to tell you everything is to have the curse lifted from me. I'll lift the curse from the lands to have them be successful again. I'll be able to reveal everything after," the dire wolf said calmly.

"Oh, cut that out. Just tell him now," Shade said with a touch of irritation when he appeared. "You're not cursed. You're fine."

"What?! You want me to spoil the fun?" the dire wolf pouted.

"My daughter is suffering. Horny is about to go on a rampage. We can't afford to let things go idle any longer," Shade warned.

"She's in pain? How?" the dire wolf asked.

"She's pregnant with a female offspring. She is in complete misery and can't be away from him for more than a second. He is what is keeping her calm. Sunlight hurts her. All other scents make her sick. She had to go back to the Keeper's realm," Shade sighed. Lee was clearly a touch perplexed at this, but he wasn't going to argue.

"Ah, can someone explain what's going on?" Ronan asked and finally stood up.

"Very well," the dire wolf sighed and let the fur drop. Now that the Incubus revealed himself in full, Ronan was in complete shock. "Long story short. They think I randomly appeared and fucked one of your ancestors as a joke. In actuality, I was summoned by your great-great-great grandmother. She used me as a servant. Then as a toy. I asked if she wanted to keep the kid. She said yes. When others found out that she was a witch in royal garb, they killed her. The child was hidden from the truth, though, as I managed to convince the family to raise it with a small persuasion spell. I didn't care for the woman, but I knew the child would become useful in some small way. Besides, the child was a form of royalty, and they desperately needed a male heir on the throne."

"So..." Shade mused. "you didn't play a trick on the royal family. You had a child of royal standings with that current queen that was practicing the dark arts. But, what of the other royals?"

"I got even with that family by letting my blood stay filtered in," Lee smirked. "As I said before. I'm an Incubus. We excel at persuasion. Even with the spell I used. All I told them was...hey. You need a male on the throne. Your current king can't do shit. I just helped you. The kid looks completely human, and no one would know anything about his lineage. Let the kid live."

"But...you said you were cursed...?" Ronan frowned.

"A sham. I pretended to let the fake curse work to keep an eye on my little growing family. They botched it to be permanent, so it became fake. Well, they did know what they were doing, to a point. They tried to use that witch's notes and made one, tiny, critical error. They didn't use virgin's blood in the wolf pelt I was to be tied to.

"The girl they chose said she was a virgin. And she was. But...I got to her just before they took blood from her. As an Incubus, I have my way with females very easily. Especially in their sleep. So, I saved myself, and she didn't say a word as part of the agreement for future sexual encounters. At the most, the pelt let me fit into it in order to hide away," the Incubus nodded. "So, on that note, I am your legitimate great-great-great grandfather. My name is Leegaronis. You can call me Lee. Where else did you and your father get the good looks? That is a benefit of having Incubus blood, my boy!

"Besides, haven't you noticed that all of the queens that married in had died in childbirth after birthing a single son? That is part of the bloodline. It was also part of the 'curse' I was under to be watched over by the single surviving male of the bloodline. My own son was lied to about me! That I was a pitiful, evil thing! But, I figured...what the Hell? It's sort of what I am. It let me stay close to him by having him watch over me. It's done and over with now."

"I...am why my Mother..." Ronan faltered.

"No. It was your father's blood, my blood, that did it. And the same thing will happen when you take a queen. Of course, that's if the queen was human and of the light. Now, if she was a demon, then she'd live," Lee chuckled. "Or someone exceptionally evil. The light doesn't work too well with us, if you haven't noticed."

"So...the girl would have...?" he started.

"The Reaper will kill you. Don't think of her. Maybe another," Shade muttered out. "And I would be right there to help with the killing blow."

"She is having a daughter, you know. Hell, she could have a few daughters. Demon kids grow insanely quick," Lee said. "Within a month she'd be full grown."

"That's true. Dax is her son. He's already growing his wings out, now that I think about it," Shade chuckled. "He's only a few months old. So, it may be a year for full growth, but still very quick growth."

"I just don't get it," Ronan frowned. "Why wasn't I told about you?"

"Your father was protecting you. That's why," Lee said calmly. "I need to go back into hiding. You have a bear to butcher up. Get to it."

"Well...can I see you again?" he asked. Shade now rose a brow.  _The prince truly did want to be among those of the dark._

"On a few conditions," the Incubus said. "You have to stop killing demons. You have to show your father that hidden room. Also...you may have to fully turn from the light. Once I'm free of here, I already know that I don't want to be around a place that supports my opposite of the spectrum."

"I was brought up to kill demons! To believe in the light. To do...everything that you are telling me that I have to throw away! It's something that I just can't do overnight. I don't know," he admitted. Shade glanced over at the sound of another joining them, and he grinned slightly in knowing.

"Well, you have to do something soon. If this place remains bound to the light, then it  _will_  get destroyed," Shade said softly. "Your father is already thinking on things, too. You need to talk to him."

"Ronan!" the king gaped at them from where he now stood. Then he saw the wolf pelt on the ground. He was in complete shock. "And you?!"

"Aww! I didn't get a chance to hide! Shade! Did you plan this?!" Lee pouted.

"Possibly..." the Shadow Demon winked and vanished away.

"Ah, well. It was inevitable. How much did you hear?" Lee asked the king.

"I...how...?" the man shivered.

"Look. I'm going to get a few things straight. I am an Incubus. My name is Leegaronis. Lee for short. I didn't play a trick on the family line. I was summoned in and used for sex by your great-great-great grandmother who was a witch on the throne. The kid was allowed to live. I botched my curse by screwing the virgin before they took her blood. I placed a curse in retaliation for the bastards that tried to keep me bound down, and they lied to my son about what I was. I stayed hidden to help ensure that you all lived," Lee said calmly. "I didn't show myself in order to keep the panic down."

"You...protected us?" the king asked with surprise.

"I did," Lee nodded. "I could have left long ago, but I didn't. It's not an everyday thing for a family of Incubi to suddenly appear and live with humans. Much less be descended from one. I had to stick around!"

"My wife, though..." Xavius frowned.

"Part of the bloodline. She was of the light. You are not. Even though you are trained to be. My bloodline just...won't give that up," Lee shrugged. "Only males can be birthed. Not sure of an evil wife, though. That could change things up. Anyways, I was never cursed. I decided to stay to ensure my progeny lived. As for the current curse on the kingdom, it depends. Are you both going to stick to a false hope? Or, are you going to embrace what your blood was meant to embrace? Think carefully."

"First, I need to know one thing," Xavius said and regarded his son. "Ronan. Are there dead demons in my home?"

"I..." the prince faltered and winced. "Yes, Father. There are."

"I need to see them. Now," he demanded. "And, I suppose you can join us. You are family. You should witness this, too."

"Good! I'll keep the fur, though. It would be a good disguise for other things," Lee chuckled. "And, as we are all together, ah, Shade! Care to take us back to the castle? You can spook the horses. They'll know where to go to get back to the stables."

"I am here. And I can," Shade nodded and gestured to a dark spot in the trees. Xavius winced a bit, but he followed his son. He saw how his son didn't even flinch when the shadows reached out to embrace him. He swallowed and walked into them now. He was expecting to feel disgust. A form of shame. Instead, he realized that it felt like he was returning home. He found himself stopping in his tracks.

"If you don't keep moving, you can get stuck here," Lee said and gave him a gentle push. "Always keep walking in the shadows. Lest you become one."

"Unless you're made from them like me," Shade nodded. "But...why did you stop? That does have me curious."

"I stopped because I felt like I had returned home," the king said a bit grimly, as he continued to walk with them. Shade had taken them straight to the hidden trophy room. Xavius looked around calmly before glancing over at his moping son. "How did you find this room? Just be honest."

"I was admiring the lion and felt a draft," Ronan said. "I found the room after some exploration of the wall. This was five years ago."

"Damn. It wasn't hidden well enough," he muttered out. Now his son looked at him with shock. Lee started laughing like mad. Shade was even caught by surprise at this. "Let me guess. You added the short, red demon and the Goblins, right? The workers were already there from my Father before he passed. He did create this room."

"You...knew about this...?" Ronan gaped.

"I did. My own Father showed this room to me when he noticed I was about to discover it. He told me that...if I ever felt any form of dark thoughts...to come in here. After your mother passed on...I was a frequent visitor here at night. When I was strong enough, I left the room alone," he frowned hard. "I'm not mad. Disappointed, maybe. You should have come to me about this room when you found it. Not add more to it!"

"Well..." Ronan faltered.

"I was hoping to tear this room out one day. I just...couldn't bring myself to do it," he admitted. "You feel at home here, too. Don't you?"

"What are we to do, Father? We don't have that many servants left. I don't know about Kodus or Azman. We're a dying kingdom," the prince said softly.

"If you made a big decision, then it can all change," Lee chuckled.

"Where did you get that?" the king asked and pointed at the broken demon horn.

"Ah...well..." Ronan seemed to tremble.

"Answer me," the king warned.

"I found a dead Ogre at some point in my travels on visiting kingdoms. The horn was nearby. Like it was ripped off. I took it to bring here," he sighed.

"That horn belongs to an elder Horned Reaper. He wants it back," Shade said with a small chuckle. "You have to give him the horn out of neutrality, since you stole it from where it was resting."

"What?" Ronan gaped.

"Just give it back. Can you call this one?" King Xavius asked.

"I can do it," the allied Reaper said when he appeared. He walked over to the jeweled bowl with blue fire now, and the king was clearly pissed that his son had brought that into the castle. At the small glare given, the prince only knew that a discussion about it was going to happen.

"Where is the girl?" Xavius asked. "Should she do this?"

"She had to return to the darkness she came from. Her pregnancy is too much to bear now. Sunlight makes her ill. The scents from other things makes her ill. She had to go back," Shade sighed. The king seemed to pause with a form of worry, but his attention soon turned to the blue fire in the bowl. The allied Reaper waved his hand over it to call out the elder Reaper that wanted his horn back.

"Where is it?!" the elder snarled when he charged into the room. His body was completely muscled with war scars all over his arms and shoulders. One horn looked normal on the right side of his head. The left one was a jagged chunk of its former glory.

"Ah, it's over here..." Ronan said and lifted it from the podium it was on. The elder snatched it from him and jammed it into the stump on his head. It quickly regenerated back to its flawless state.

"Finally!" he growled and pointed his scythe at him. "Since you gave me back what was taken, I won't kill you."

"Thanks," the prince swallowed.

"As for you," the elder Reaper turned to face Lee. "Keep your offspring on a leash! I don't think they'd want to cross paths with me again."

"Okay. They just learned about me. Cut them some slack!" the Incubus sighed. "Your horn was returned. They know of my bloodline in them. We are still sorting things out. We're getting there."

"Actually, we do have one small problem," King Xavius said.

"Hmm?" the elder Reaper asked. The allied Reaper looked over now with a small nod. When Orphek came out of the shadows, the prince seemed to cringe, but he was only there to listen in. Even Shade was giving his direct attention.

"There is a descendant of the one that thought my ancestor was cursed and bound down. He is also part of a secret sect of heroes. He knew of my bloodline. I was trying to prove that I am of the light. And I have been proving it, so he hasn't been very watchful over me. It's called the Guardian Order. Now that I'm, quite clearly, not of the light, this Order needs to fall. Fast," the king said.

"So, you're turning?" Lee chuckled.

"I know I have a choice. But...well..." Xavius seemed to shrug. "I'd rather live with family that actually understands me. We were lied to about you all this time. I knew you were my ancestor. I just didn't know how. Why didn't you just tell me?"

"And spoil the fun?" Lee seemed to pout. "Ah, well. I guess you can call it an accepted habit. Anyways, as of now, the curse I put over this kingdom is now lifted! And a Guardian Order? Really?"

"Yes. There was a Knight by the name of Clyde who was reported to be destined for this group, too. He suddenly went missing when he went to protect his home," Xavius started. Shade barked out laughter and sent the shadows for Horny. When he appeared with Saithe in his arms, the elder Reaper seemed to pause with amazement. He didn't expect him to bring her.

"Clyde? Oh. Him," Saithe frowned and shook her head. "I was from the same village he was. He wouldn't leave me alone, even after I declined him at every turn. He just wouldn't listen. He tried to go back to woo me. He also tried to rape me in my younger years. Horny killed him."

"He did what?!" Ronan gaped.

"He did," Shade nodded.

"She ate his heart," Horny smirked. "As for this...Order...heh. What do you think, Elder?"

"Well, we are all disappointed that we didn't get to tear this place down. But...a group of goodly heroes? Do we know where they are?" the elder Reaper asked.

"If we approach the descendant, he may have an idea. The group is rather powerful together. But, if we catch them separated, they shouldn't be too hard to remove," Xavius nodded. When Kodus appeared, Ronan stopped him.

"You shouldn't be here!" the prince hissed.

"But, I have to be here," the retainer chuckled and presented an ornate goblet of blood to Horny. "Drink this and have her drink your blood. It's infused with ginger root. If it doesn't work, we'll see what else we have to do."

"Very well," Horny snorted, took up the goblet, and drank it down. He let Saithe sink her fangs into his wrist to feed lightly. She seemed to sigh with a touch more of relief. "Good. We'll get more of this."

"I'm glad it worked," Kodus nodded. "I'll see what else I can find to help her."

"Fine," Horny snorted. Then he looked at the two newly turned humans. "He got turned first. Through torture. It was why he never found your...Wizard. And that one is also turned. If you need any others turned, let us know. It's all fun to us."

"If you get any stubborn ones, toss them into the portal," the elder Reaper grinned wickedly. Even the allied Reaper was grinning.

"Tell me where this hero is. I'll start looking," Orphek nodded.

"A day's ride east at the end of the forest. That's where you'll find the small hut," the king nodded. Shade showed he was going to stay to help advise on what was going to happen next. Saithe only yawned wearily and let her mate take her back to their lair. Now the elder Reaper saw firsthand on how Horny was with her.

"He truly does show affection for her," he mused.

"Yes. He does," the allied Reaper nodded.

"I'll discuss this with the others," he grunted and moved back through the portal. Orphek was already heading to where this supposed person of the Guardian Order was. Lee was now educating his descendants on how to fully awaken the Incubus blood in their veins. Shade let his shadows out to see how many humans were left that needed to be turned. In the end, both Keepers were rather pleased. They had a new castle, and a new threat was found. They kept their alliance going even longer. They both knew that it was needed, regardless of the outcome.


End file.
